Maryland Route 956
Encyclopedia
Maryland Route 956 is a state highway
in the U.S. state
of Maryland
. Known as Patriot Parkway. the state highway runs 0.53 mile (0.8529502 km) from U.S. Route 220
(US 220) in Pinto
east to the West Virginia
state line at the Potomac River
, where the highway continues as West Virginia Route 956 (WV 956) in Rocket Center
. MD 956, which is the highest numbered signed route in the Maryland state highway system, serves as a connector from US 220 to WV 28 south of Cumberland
as well as the primary access to the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory
. The state highway was constructed in 1967. MD 956 and WV 956 received their common number by 1985.
's Mountain Subdivision
. MD 956 reaches its eastern terminus at its bridge over the Potomac River into West Virginia. The road continues east as WV 956, which provides access to the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory, then crosses Knobly Mountain
and meets WV 28 at Short Gap
.
, crossed the Potomac River at Pinto. A bridge over the river connecting Pinto with the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory remained as late as 1950. The road crossed the military installation and ascended Knobly Mountain, meeting present-day WV 956 just west of WV 28. The bridge was removed at a later date. In 1967, a new highway featuring a crossing of a Potomac River was completed between US 220 and WV 28 to provide better access from Maryland to the government reservation and to WV 28. By 1985, the highway was signed as MD 956 and WV 956. MD 956 was designated Patriot Parkway in 2004.
in Allegany County
.
{| class=wikitable
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|0.00
|
|Western terminus
|-
|0.53
| – Rocket Center, WV
|Eastern terminus
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Known as Patriot Parkway. the state highway runs 0.53 mile (0.8529502 km) from U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220 in Maryland
U.S. Route 220 is a part in the U.S. Highway System that runs from Rockingham, North Carolina to Waverly, New York. In Maryland, the federal highway runs from the West Virginia state line at the Potomac River in McCoole north to the Pennsylvania state line in Dickens...
(US 220) in Pinto
Pinto, Maryland
Pinto is an unincorporated community along the North Branch Potomac River in Allegany County, Maryland across from Rocket Center, West Virginia. While the town is officially named Potomac, its post office is referred to as Pinto because there already exists a Potomac, Maryland. Pinto is located...
east to the West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
state line at the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
, where the highway continues as West Virginia Route 956 (WV 956) in Rocket Center
Rocket Center, West Virginia
Rocket Center, West Virginia is the site of a government installation known as Allegany Ballistics Laboratory, part of the Naval Sea Systems Command which is currently operated by Alliant Techsystems. Rocket Center shares a ZIP Code with Keyser but is located north along the North Branch Potomac...
. MD 956, which is the highest numbered signed route in the Maryland state highway system, serves as a connector from US 220 to WV 28 south of Cumberland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
as well as the primary access to the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory
Allegany Ballistics Laboratory
Allegany Ballistics Laboratory located in Rocket Center, West Virginia, is a diverse industrial complex employing some 1,000 people across...
. The state highway was constructed in 1967. MD 956 and WV 956 received their common number by 1985.
Route description
MD 956 begins at an intersection with US 220 (McMullen Highway) in Pinto. The state highway heads east as a two-lane road, crossing CSXCSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
's Mountain Subdivision
Mountain Subdivision
The Mountain Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Maryland and West Virginia. The line runs from Cumberland, Maryland west to Grafton, West Virginia along the original Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road main line...
. MD 956 reaches its eastern terminus at its bridge over the Potomac River into West Virginia. The road continues east as WV 956, which provides access to the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory, then crosses Knobly Mountain
Knobly Mountain
Knobly Mountain is a part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, located east of New Creek Mountain in Mineral and Grant counties, West Virginia, in the United States....
and meets WV 28 at Short Gap
Short Gap, West Virginia
Short Gap is an unincorporated community in Mineral County, West Virginia located at the intersection of West Virginia Route 956 and West Virginia Route 28. The community is home to Frankfort High School, as well as Frankfort Middle School, which serve the northern part of Mineral County including...
.
History
The Winchester Road, of which the northernmost part is now MD 53Maryland Route 53
Maryland Route 53 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Winchester Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 220 in Cresaptown north to US 40 Alternate in La Vale...
, crossed the Potomac River at Pinto. A bridge over the river connecting Pinto with the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory remained as late as 1950. The road crossed the military installation and ascended Knobly Mountain, meeting present-day WV 956 just west of WV 28. The bridge was removed at a later date. In 1967, a new highway featuring a crossing of a Potomac River was completed between US 220 and WV 28 to provide better access from Maryland to the government reservation and to WV 28. By 1985, the highway was signed as MD 956 and WV 956. MD 956 was designated Patriot Parkway in 2004.
Junction list
The entire route is in PintoPinto, Maryland
Pinto is an unincorporated community along the North Branch Potomac River in Allegany County, Maryland across from Rocket Center, West Virginia. While the town is officially named Potomac, its post office is referred to as Pinto because there already exists a Potomac, Maryland. Pinto is located...
in Allegany County
Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|0.00
|
|Western terminus
|-
|0.53
| – Rocket Center, WV
Rocket Center, West Virginia
Rocket Center, West Virginia is the site of a government installation known as Allegany Ballistics Laboratory, part of the Naval Sea Systems Command which is currently operated by Alliant Techsystems. Rocket Center shares a ZIP Code with Keyser but is located north along the North Branch Potomac...
|Eastern terminus