U.S. Route 220 in Maryland
Encyclopedia
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 27.35 miles (44 km) from the West Virginia
state line at the Potomac River
in McCoole
north to the Pennsylvania
state line in Dickens
. Known as McMullen Highway for much of its length in Maryland, US 220 is the primary north–south route in central Allegany County
, connecting Cumberland
with its southern suburbs and Keyser, West Virginia
to the south and Bedford, Pennsylvania
to the north. The federal highway is part of the National Highway System
between the West Virginia state line and Maryland Route 53
(MD 53) in Cresaptown
and between Interstate 68
(I-68), with which it is concurrent
through Cumberland, and the Pennsylvania state line.
The road to Bedford was paved within the city of Cumberland by 1910 and constructed north to Pennsylvania in the 1910s. This highway comprised the southernmost portion of US 220 when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1927. McMullen Highway was constructed starting from Cumberland and finishing in McCoole in the 1920s. When that highway was completed around 1930, US 220 was extended south into West Virginia. Both the northern and southern portions of the federal highway were reconstructed in the 1940s and 1950s, including a new bridge over the Potomac River. US 220 was rerouted within Cumberland multiple times before being placed on I-68 in the early 1980s to bypass downtown Cumberland. The bypass of Bedford Road between I-68 and the Pennsylvania state line opened in 2000. A new bridge over the Potomac River is currently under construction. In addition, relocation of the highway from I-68 south into West Virginia is under consideration.
(Paxton Street) before gaining a climbing lane and ascending a hill. US 220 crosses over its old alignment again, then meets the old alignment, unsigned MD 135A, at the top of the hill. The federal highway turns northeast as McMullen Highway, a two-lane road paralleling the Potomac River north to Cumberland. The highway passes through the hamlet of Dawson
, where it passes a curve of its old alignment designated MD 830A and closely parallels CSX
's Mountain Subdivision
. US 220 splits away from the railroad tracks to follow the valley of Deep Hollow Creek between Fort Hill immediately to the east and Dans Mountain
further to the west. After passing through the hamlet of Danville
, the federal highway passes into the valley of Mill Run. After passing another curve of old alignment designated MD 830B, US 220 leaves Fort Hill and Mill Run behind.
US 220 passes through the villages of Rawlings
and Bier
before intersecting the western end of MD 956
(Patriot Parkway) near Pinto
. Beyond MD 956, US 220 enters a more densely-populated area, passing through the community of Bel Air
. The federal highway enters Cresaptown, where US 220 intersects MD 53 (Winchester Road), which is also the southern terminus of US 220 Truck. Access to northbound MD 53 is provided by unsigned
MD 636 (Warrior Drive) shortly after.
After crossing Warrior Run, Haystack Mountain
flanks US 220 to the west as the federal highway passes through Amcelle
, the former site of the Celanese
chemical plant that is now the location of the North Branch Correctional Institution
. The federal highway curves through Potomac Park
, home of the Allegany County Fairgrounds
. After passing the Upper Potomac Industrial Park, US 220 parallels CSX's Mountain Subdivision again before entering the city of Cumberland, where the highway is municipally-maintained. Shortly after, US 220 meets I-68 and US 40
(National Freeway) at Exit 42. Trucks and buses are prohibited from using the ramp in the diamond interchange
from eastbound I-68 to southbound US 220; those vehicles must follow US 220 Truck instead. Greene Street, the old alignment of US 220, continues north from the interchange as a municipal street toward downtown Cumberland.
US 220 becomes concurrent with eastbound I-68 and US 40, passing through downtown Cumberland on a narrow, curvaceous viaduct where the highway meets the northern end of MD 51
and the east end of US 40 ALT. After passing through the eastern part of the city, US 220 exits the freeway at Exit 46 onto MD 144
(Ali Ghan Road), which it follows east a short distance before turning north over I-68 onto a two-lane limited access highway with a speed limit of 55 mph (88.5 km/h). MD 144, the old alignment of US 40, continues east toward Rocky Gap State Park
. The southbound direction of US 220 joins westbound I-68 via a long ramp on a sweeping curve. After crossing Evitts Creek, Mason Road, and Bealls Mill Road, the federal highway reaches the intersection with MD 807
(Bedford Road) and MD 807E (Smouses Mill Road) in Dickens
, the former being the old alignment of US 220. US 220 turns northeast, passing MD 807D (Pine Ridge Road) and MD 807C before crossing the Pennsylvania state line, where the route continues north as Bedford Valley Road toward Bedford.
from 1916 to 1920—was completed between Cumberland and Cresaptown in 1920. The highway was extended to Rawlings by 1927 and to Dawson in 1928. McMullen Highway was completed to McCoole by 1930. The US 220 designation was extended south of Cumberland into West Virginia at the same time. Within Cumberland, US 220 followed Greene Street north and east to Wills Creek. The federal highway crossed Wills Creek via Baltimore Street, which the highway followed east to Henderson Avenue. US 220 was concurrent with US 40 on Henderson Avenue before turning northeast onto Bedford Street. In McCoole, US 220 followed a twisty route down to the Potomac River. The federal highway followed what is today MD 135A to MD 135, then turned east on the present MD 135 and past the present bridge to Parkland Drive, where the highway crossed the river on a bridge in line with Main Street in Keyser.
The first round of improvements to US 220 began around 1936 when the highway was widened from McMullen to Amcelle. The widened highway was extended south through Cresaptown by 1938 and to McCoole by 1942, making all of McMullen Highway at least 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. A second round of widening occurred during World War II as a military access project; the highway was expanded to at least 24 feet (7.3 m) in width from Cumberland to Pinto to improve access to the many wartime manufacturing centers along the highway, including the Allegany Ordnance Plant in West Virginia across the Potomac River from Pinto.
Improvements to US 220 continued after the war. Bedford Road was rebuilt between 1946 and 1950. McMullen Highway from Cumberland to Cresaptown was widened a third time in a project completed in 1950. The present bridge between McCoole and Keyser was completed in 1951, with the approach road on the Maryland side completed in 1952. Reconstruction of US 220 between Cresaptown and Rawlings occurred between 1952 and 1954. The final segment of McMullen Highway to be rebuilt, from Rawlings to McCoole, was completed in 1956.
The first rerouting of US 220 within Cumberland occurred in 1956, when Frederick Street was reconstructed and became the northbound direction of a one-way pair
in conjunction with Bedford Street. By 1964, the federal highway followed Mechanic Street north to the Frederick/Bedford pair instead of Henderson Avenue. In 1977, a viaduct was completed to carry US 220 over the railroad tracks and US 40 ALT. US 220 was moved off of surface streets in downtown Cumberland when the highway was placed on the Cumberland Thruway (now I-68) between McMullen Highway and Naves Cross Road in 1982. The highway used Naves Cross Road to reconnect with Bedford Road, which was designated MD 807 between Naves Cross Road and the Cumberland city line. In 2000, the two-lane, limited-access bypass of Bedford Road was completed northeast of Cumberland; MD 807 was extended north along the bypassed part of Bedford Road. The portion of US 220 between the southern city limit of Cumberland and I-68 was transferred from municipal maintenance to state maintenance in 2010.
.
{| class=wikitable
|-
!Location
!Mile
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|McCoole
|0.00
|rowspan=6|
| – Keyser, WV
|Southern terminus of US 220 in Maryland; West Virginia
state line at Potomac River
|-
|0.47
|
|Officially MD 135B
|-
|1.35
|To
|Unsigned MD 135A; Old alignment of US 220
|-
|Pinto
|11.78
| – Rocket Center, WV
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Cresaptown
|14.03
|Winchester Road south – Pinto
|MD 53 south and US 220 Truck end at this intersection; no access to MD 53 north
|-
|14.33
|
|
|-
|rowspan=10|Cumberland
|18.86
|42
|, Morgantown
|South end of concurrency with I-68 / US 40; US 220 uses I-68 exit numbers; Greene Street is old alignment of US 220
|-
|
|43A
|Johnson Street to WV 28 Alt. – Ridgeley, WV
|Eastbound exit and entrance
|-
|
|43A
|Beall Street to WV 28 Alt. – Ridgeley, WV
|No eastbound exit
|-
|
|43B
| – Greater Cumberland Regional Airport
|
|-
|
|43C
|Downtown Cumberland
|-
|
|43D
|Maryland Avenue
|
|-
|
|44
|
|Eastern terminus of US 40 Alternate; northern terminus of MD 639
|-
|
|45
|Hillcrest Drive
|Hillcrest Drive is unsigned MD 952
|-
|
|46
|
|Westbound exit and entrance
|-
|23.58
|47
|
|North end of concurrency with I-68 / US 40; Signed as Exit 46 on eastbound I-68
|-
|rowspan=3|Dickens
|26.72
|rowspan=3|
| / Smouses Mill Road east – Cumberland
, Dickens
|MD 807 is old alignment of US 220; Smouses Mill Road is unsigned MD 807E
|-
|27.20
|Pine Ridge Road east
|Unsigned MD 807D; Former MD 48
|-
|27.35
| – Bedford, PA
|Northern terminus of US 220 in Maryland; Pennsylvania
state line
Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States named after the Marquis of Rockingham. The population was 9,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Richmond County...
to Waverly, New York
Waverly, Tioga County, New York
----Waverly is the largest village in Tioga County, New York, United States. It is located southeast of Elmira in the Southern Tier region. This village was incorporated as the southwest part of the town of Barton in 1854...
. In 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...
, the federal highway runs 27.35 miles (44 km) from 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...
in McCoole
McCoole, Maryland
McCoole is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, USA. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 220 and the east end of Maryland Route 135. McCoole lies directly across the North Branch Potomac River from Keyser, West Virginia. McCoole had its own post office in operation...
north to the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
state line in Dickens
Dickens, Maryland
Dickens is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. Three sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Big Bottom Farm, Phoenix Mill Farm, and Union Grove Schoolhouse....
. Known as McMullen Highway for much of its length in Maryland, US 220 is the primary north–south route in central 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...
, connecting 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...
with its southern suburbs and Keyser, West Virginia
Keyser, West Virginia
Keyser is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
to the south and Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford is a borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, west of the State Capital, Harrisburg. It is the county seat of Bedford County. Bedford was established in the mid-18th century. Population counts follow: 1890, 2,242; 1900, 2,167; 1910, 2,385. The population was 3,141 at the 2000...
to the north. The federal highway is part of the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
between the West Virginia state line and Maryland Route 53
Maryland 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...
(MD 53) in Cresaptown
Cresaptown, Maryland
Cresaptown is a community located in Allegany County, Maryland, United States of America. It is an unincorporated community which, for United States Census Bureau purposes, is united with Bel Air to form the census-designated place of Cresaptown-Bel Air. Cresaptown's post office was established...
and between Interstate 68
Interstate 68
Interstate 68 is a Interstate highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting in Morgantown to in Hancock. is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. From 1965 until the freeway's construction was completed in 1991, it was designated as...
(I-68), with which it is concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
through Cumberland, and the Pennsylvania state line.
The road to Bedford was paved within the city of Cumberland by 1910 and constructed north to Pennsylvania in the 1910s. This highway comprised the southernmost portion of US 220 when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1927. McMullen Highway was constructed starting from Cumberland and finishing in McCoole in the 1920s. When that highway was completed around 1930, US 220 was extended south into West Virginia. Both the northern and southern portions of the federal highway were reconstructed in the 1940s and 1950s, including a new bridge over the Potomac River. US 220 was rerouted within Cumberland multiple times before being placed on I-68 in the early 1980s to bypass downtown Cumberland. The bypass of Bedford Road between I-68 and the Pennsylvania state line opened in 2000. A new bridge over the Potomac River is currently under construction. In addition, relocation of the highway from I-68 south into West Virginia is under consideration.
Route description
US 220 enters Maryland in southwestern Allegany County, crossing the Potomac River and its own old alignment on a bridge from Keyser to McCoole. The highway meets the eastern terminus of MD 135Maryland Route 135
Maryland Route 135 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Maryland Highway, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 219 in Oakland in Garrett County east to US 220 in McCoole in Allegany County...
(Paxton Street) before gaining a climbing lane and ascending a hill. US 220 crosses over its old alignment again, then meets the old alignment, unsigned MD 135A, at the top of the hill. The federal highway turns northeast as McMullen Highway, a two-lane road paralleling the Potomac River north to Cumberland. The highway passes through the hamlet of Dawson
Dawson, Maryland
Dawson is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States....
, where it passes a curve of its old alignment designated MD 830A and closely parallels CSX
CSX 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...
. US 220 splits away from the railroad tracks to follow the valley of Deep Hollow Creek between Fort Hill immediately to the east and Dans Mountain
Dans Mountain
Dans Mountain is located in Allegany County, Maryland, USA between Georges Creek and the North Branch Potomac River. The highest point on Dans Mountain is called Dan's Rock which has an elevation of . The mountain rises above the town of LaVale and the summit is the highest point in Allegany County...
further to the west. After passing through the hamlet of Danville
Danville, Allegany County, Maryland
Danville is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States....
, the federal highway passes into the valley of Mill Run. After passing another curve of old alignment designated MD 830B, US 220 leaves Fort Hill and Mill Run behind.
US 220 passes through the villages of Rawlings
Rawlings, Maryland
Rawlings is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, on the McMullen Highway . It was originally known as Rawlings Station after a post office was established on the railroad there on March 7, 1856....
and Bier
Bier, Maryland
Bier is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States....
before intersecting the western end of MD 956
Maryland Route 956
Maryland Route 956 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Patriot Parkway. the state highway runs from U.S. Route 220 in Pinto east to the West Virginia state line at the Potomac River, where the highway continues as West Virginia Route 956 in Rocket Center...
(Patriot Parkway) near 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...
. Beyond MD 956, US 220 enters a more densely-populated area, passing through the community of Bel Air
Bel Air, Allegany County, Maryland
Bel Air is a community located in Allegany County, Maryland, United States of America. It is an unincorporated community which, for United States Census Bureau purposes, is united with Cresaptown to form the census-designated place of Cresaptown-Bel Air. Bel Air is part of the 'Cumberland, MD-WV...
. The federal highway enters Cresaptown, where US 220 intersects MD 53 (Winchester Road), which is also the southern terminus of US 220 Truck. Access to northbound MD 53 is provided by unsigned
Unsigned highway
An unsigned highway is a highway that has been assigned a route number, but does not bear conventional road markings that would normally be used to identify the route with that number...
MD 636 (Warrior Drive) shortly after.
After crossing Warrior Run, Haystack Mountain
Haystack Mountain (Maryland)
Haystack Mountain is a mountain ridge in the Ridge and Valley region of the Appalachian Mountains, located in western Maryland just west of the city of Cumberland...
flanks US 220 to the west as the federal highway passes through Amcelle
Amcelle, Maryland
Amcelle is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States....
, the former site of the Celanese
Celanese
Celanese Corporation is a Fortune 500 global technology and specialty materials company with its headquarters in Dallas, Texas. The company is a leading producer of acetyl products, which are intermediate chemicals for nearly all major industries, and is the world's largest producer of vinyl...
chemical plant that is now the location of the North Branch Correctional Institution
North Branch Correctional Institution
North Branch Correctional Institution is a high-tech, maximum security prison operated by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services in unincorporated Allegany County, Maryland, near Cumberland. The prison houses the most serious offenders within the State of Maryland...
. The federal highway curves through Potomac Park
Potomac Park, Maryland
Potomac Park is an unincorporated subdivision located on the North Branch Potomac River in Allegany County, Maryland. Potomac Park lies along McMullen Highway between Cresaptown and Cumberland.- See also :Regional Businesses...
, home of the Allegany County Fairgrounds
Allegany County Fairgrounds
The Allegany County Fairgrounds is located just west of Cumberland, Maryland along McMullen Highway. Throughout the year the fairground holds musical concerts, car races, and private events. Once a year the Allegany County fair is held on the grounds, called the Allegany County Fair and AgExpo....
. After passing the Upper Potomac Industrial Park, US 220 parallels CSX's Mountain Subdivision again before entering the city of Cumberland, where the highway is municipally-maintained. Shortly after, US 220 meets I-68 and US 40
U.S. Route 40 in Maryland
U.S. Route 40 in the U.S. state of Maryland runs from western Maryland to Cecil County in the state's northeastern corner. With a total length of over , it is the longest numbered highway in Maryland. Almost half of the road overlaps with Interstate 68 or Interstate 70, while the old alignment...
(National Freeway) at Exit 42. Trucks and buses are prohibited from using the ramp in the diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
from eastbound I-68 to southbound US 220; those vehicles must follow US 220 Truck instead. Greene Street, the old alignment of US 220, continues north from the interchange as a municipal street toward downtown Cumberland.
US 220 becomes concurrent with eastbound I-68 and US 40, passing through downtown Cumberland on a narrow, curvaceous viaduct where the highway meets the northern end of MD 51
Maryland Route 51
Maryland Route 51 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Oldtown Road, the state highway runs from an interchange with Interstate 68 in Cumberland east to the West Virginia state line at the Potomac River, where the highway continues east as West...
and the east end of US 40 ALT. After passing through the eastern part of the city, US 220 exits the freeway at Exit 46 onto MD 144
Maryland Route 144
Maryland Route 144 is a collection of state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These highways are sections of old alignment of U.S. Route 40 between Cumberland and Baltimore...
(Ali Ghan Road), which it follows east a short distance before turning north over I-68 onto a two-lane limited access highway with a speed limit of 55 mph (88.5 km/h). MD 144, the old alignment of US 40, continues east toward Rocky Gap State Park
Rocky Gap State Park
Rocky Gap State Park is a 3,400 acre park in Allegany County, Maryland. It is seven miles east of Cumberland on Interstate 68 , and is about a two-hour drive from Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
. The southbound direction of US 220 joins westbound I-68 via a long ramp on a sweeping curve. After crossing Evitts Creek, Mason Road, and Bealls Mill Road, the federal highway reaches the intersection with MD 807
Maryland Route 807
Maryland Route 807 is an unsigned state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Bedford Road, the state highway runs from the city limits of Cumberland north to U.S. Route 220 in Dickens. MD 807 is the original alignment of US 220 north of Cumberland...
(Bedford Road) and MD 807E (Smouses Mill Road) in Dickens
Dickens, Maryland
Dickens is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. Three sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Big Bottom Farm, Phoenix Mill Farm, and Union Grove Schoolhouse....
, the former being the old alignment of US 220. US 220 turns northeast, passing MD 807D (Pine Ridge Road) and MD 807C before crossing the Pennsylvania state line, where the route continues north as Bedford Valley Road toward Bedford.
History
Bedford Street was paved in the city of Cumberland from downtown to Naves Cross Road by 1910. Bedford Road was paved between Naves Cross Road and roughly the present intersection of US 220 and Bedford Road by 1915, with the final segment to the Pennsylvania state line completed shortly thereafter. When the U.S. Highway System was organized in 1926, Bedford Road and Bedford Street were designated the southernmost portion of US 220. The first section of McMullen Highway—named for Hugh A. McMullen, an Allegany County miner, merchant, and banker who was Comptroller of MarylandComptroller of Maryland
The Comptroller of Maryland, United States, currently Peter Franchot, is the state's chief financial officer and is also elected by the people for a four year term. The comptroller is not term-limited. The office was established by the Maryland Constitution of 1851 due to concern about the...
from 1916 to 1920—was completed between Cumberland and Cresaptown in 1920. The highway was extended to Rawlings by 1927 and to Dawson in 1928. McMullen Highway was completed to McCoole by 1930. The US 220 designation was extended south of Cumberland into West Virginia at the same time. Within Cumberland, US 220 followed Greene Street north and east to Wills Creek. The federal highway crossed Wills Creek via Baltimore Street, which the highway followed east to Henderson Avenue. US 220 was concurrent with US 40 on Henderson Avenue before turning northeast onto Bedford Street. In McCoole, US 220 followed a twisty route down to the Potomac River. The federal highway followed what is today MD 135A to MD 135, then turned east on the present MD 135 and past the present bridge to Parkland Drive, where the highway crossed the river on a bridge in line with Main Street in Keyser.
The first round of improvements to US 220 began around 1936 when the highway was widened from McMullen to Amcelle. The widened highway was extended south through Cresaptown by 1938 and to McCoole by 1942, making all of McMullen Highway at least 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. A second round of widening occurred during World War II as a military access project; the highway was expanded to at least 24 feet (7.3 m) in width from Cumberland to Pinto to improve access to the many wartime manufacturing centers along the highway, including the Allegany Ordnance Plant in West Virginia across the Potomac River from Pinto.
Improvements to US 220 continued after the war. Bedford Road was rebuilt between 1946 and 1950. McMullen Highway from Cumberland to Cresaptown was widened a third time in a project completed in 1950. The present bridge between McCoole and Keyser was completed in 1951, with the approach road on the Maryland side completed in 1952. Reconstruction of US 220 between Cresaptown and Rawlings occurred between 1952 and 1954. The final segment of McMullen Highway to be rebuilt, from Rawlings to McCoole, was completed in 1956.
The first rerouting of US 220 within Cumberland occurred in 1956, when Frederick Street was reconstructed and became the northbound direction of a one-way pair
One-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or just couplet is a pair of parallel, usually one-way streets that carry opposite directions of a signed route or major traffic flow, or sometimes opposite directions of a bus or streetcar route....
in conjunction with Bedford Street. By 1964, the federal highway followed Mechanic Street north to the Frederick/Bedford pair instead of Henderson Avenue. In 1977, a viaduct was completed to carry US 220 over the railroad tracks and US 40 ALT. US 220 was moved off of surface streets in downtown Cumberland when the highway was placed on the Cumberland Thruway (now I-68) between McMullen Highway and Naves Cross Road in 1982. The highway used Naves Cross Road to reconnect with Bedford Road, which was designated MD 807 between Naves Cross Road and the Cumberland city line. In 2000, the two-lane, limited-access bypass of Bedford Road was completed northeast of Cumberland; MD 807 was extended north along the bypassed part of Bedford Road. The portion of US 220 between the southern city limit of Cumberland and I-68 was transferred from municipal maintenance to state maintenance in 2010.
Future
The 1951 bridge over the Potomac River between McCoole and Keyser is presently being replaced. Construction on the new bridge, which will be located immediately to the east of the present bridge, began in 2010 and is expected to conclude in 2013. A study is underway concerning upgrading or relocating US 220 between I-68 and the Potomac River. The proposed routing would involve MD 53 between I-68 and Cresaptown, and is part of a larger study of a highway to connect Cumberland with Corridor H near Scherr, West VirginiaScherr, West Virginia
Scherr is an unincorporated community in Grant County, West Virginia, USA. Pronounced like "sheer." Scherr lies to the west of the community of Greenland at the crossroads of West Virginia Route 42, West Virginia Route 93, and U.S. Route 48...
.
Junction list
The entire route is in Allegany County.{| class=wikitable
|-
!Location
!Mile
!Exit
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|McCoole
McCoole, Maryland
McCoole is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, USA. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 220 and the east end of Maryland Route 135. McCoole lies directly across the North Branch Potomac River from Keyser, West Virginia. McCoole had its own post office in operation...
|0.00
|rowspan=6|
| – Keyser, WV
Keyser, West Virginia
Keyser is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
|Southern terminus of US 220 in Maryland; 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 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...
|-
|0.47
|
|Officially MD 135B
|-
|1.35
|To
|Unsigned MD 135A; Old alignment of US 220
|-
|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...
|11.78
| – 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...
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Cresaptown
Cresaptown, Maryland
Cresaptown is a community located in Allegany County, Maryland, United States of America. It is an unincorporated community which, for United States Census Bureau purposes, is united with Bel Air to form the census-designated place of Cresaptown-Bel Air. Cresaptown's post office was established...
|14.03
|Winchester Road south – 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...
|MD 53 south and US 220 Truck end at this intersection; no access to MD 53 north
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|14.33
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|rowspan=10|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...
|18.86
|42
|, Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
|South end of concurrency with I-68 / US 40; US 220 uses I-68 exit numbers; Greene Street is old alignment of US 220
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|43A
|Johnson Street to WV 28 Alt. – Ridgeley, WV
Ridgeley, West Virginia
Ridgeley is a town in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States, and part of the Cumberland Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 762 at the 2000 census but has fallen to 575 with the 2010 census....
|Eastbound exit and entrance
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|43A
|Beall Street to WV 28 Alt. – Ridgeley, WV
Ridgeley, West Virginia
Ridgeley is a town in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States, and part of the Cumberland Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 762 at the 2000 census but has fallen to 575 with the 2010 census....
|No eastbound exit
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|43B
| – Greater Cumberland Regional Airport
Greater Cumberland Regional Airport
Greater Cumberland Regional Airport is a public airport located in the town of Wiley Ford in Mineral County, West Virginia. It is two miles south of the larger city of Cumberland in Allegany County, Maryland...
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|43C
|Downtown Cumberland
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|43D
|Maryland Avenue
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|44
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|Eastern terminus of US 40 Alternate; northern terminus of MD 639
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|45
|Hillcrest Drive
|Hillcrest Drive is unsigned MD 952
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|46
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|Westbound exit and entrance
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|23.58
|47
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|North end of concurrency with I-68 / US 40; Signed as Exit 46 on eastbound I-68
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|rowspan=3|Dickens
Dickens, Maryland
Dickens is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. Three sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Big Bottom Farm, Phoenix Mill Farm, and Union Grove Schoolhouse....
|26.72
|rowspan=3|
| / Smouses Mill Road east – 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...
, Dickens
Dickens, Maryland
Dickens is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. Three sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Big Bottom Farm, Phoenix Mill Farm, and Union Grove Schoolhouse....
|MD 807 is old alignment of US 220; Smouses Mill Road is unsigned MD 807E
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|27.20
|Pine Ridge Road east
|Unsigned MD 807D; Former MD 48
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|27.35
| – Bedford, PA
Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford is a borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, west of the State Capital, Harrisburg. It is the county seat of Bedford County. Bedford was established in the mid-18th century. Population counts follow: 1890, 2,242; 1900, 2,167; 1910, 2,385. The population was 3,141 at the 2000...
|Northern terminus of US 220 in Maryland; Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
state line