Interstate 68
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Interstate 68 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. It runs from Morgantown, West Virginia at Interstate 79 to Hancock, Maryland at Interstate 70, completely replacing the pre-1989 U.S. Highway 48. Interstate 68 is Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. It is also known as the National Freeway in Maryland, named after the old National Road (US 40), which parallels I-68 east of exit 14 (Keysers Ridge).
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Length
| Miles | km | state | |
| 31 | 50 | West Virginia | |
| 81 | 131 | Maryland | |
| 112 | 181 | Total | |
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Major cities along the route
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Intersections with other Interstates
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Interchanges from west to east
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West Virginia
| County | Municipality | Exit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monongalia | 0* | Interstate 79 | |
| Monongalia | 1 | Grafton Road (US 119) | |
| Monongalia | Morgantown | 4 | Earl Core Road (WV 7) |
| Monongalia | 7 | Airport-Pierpont Road | |
| Monongalia | 10 | Fairchance Road (Monongalia CR 857) | |
| Preston | 15 | Old Route 73 | |
| Preston | 23 | WV 26 | |
| Preston | 29 | Hazelton Road (Preston CR 5/12) | |
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Maryland
| County | Municipality | Exit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett | Friendsville | 4 | Friendsville Road (MD 42) |
| Garrett | 14 | US 40 West / US 219 South | |
| Garrett | Grantsville | 19 | Yoder Street / Bittinger Road (MD 495) |
| Garrett | 22 | Chestnut Hill Road (US 219 North) | |
| Garrett | 24 | Lower New Germany Road / Avilton Road | |
| Garrett | 29 | Beall School Road / MD 546 | |
| Allegany | Frostburg | 33 | Midlothian Road |
| Allegany | Frostburg | 34 | MD 36 |
| Allegany | 39 | Alternate US 40 access (westbound only) | |
| Allegany | 40 | Braddock Road (MD 49) / Vocke Road to Winchester Road (MD 53) | |
| Allegany | 41 | Seton Drive (westbound only) | |
| Allegany | Cumberland | 42 | Greene Street / McMullen Highway (US 220 South) |
| Allegany | Cumberland | 43A | Johnson Street (eastbound) / Beall Street (westbound) |
| Allegany | Cumberland | 43B | Industrial Boulevard (MD 51) |
| Allegany | Cumberland | 43C | Queen City Drive (eastbound) / Liberty Street (westbound) |
| Allegany | Cumberland | 43D | Maryland Avenue |
| Allegany | Cumberland | 44 | Baltimore Avenue (Alternate US 40) / Willowbrook Road |
| Allegany | 45 | Hillcrest Drive | |
| Allegany | 46 | US 220 North / MD 144 | |
| Allegany | 47 | Dehaven Road (westbound only) | |
| Allegany | 50 | Pleasant Valley Road | |
| Allegany | 52 | Old National Pike (MD 144) (eastbound only) | |
| Allegany | 56 | Flintstone Drive / Black Valley Road / Old National Pike (MD 144) | |
| Allegany | 62 | Fifteen Mile Creek Road (MD 144 West / Scenic US 40 East) | |
| Allegany | 64 | MV Smith Road | |
| Allegany | 68 | Orleans Road | |
| Allegany | 72 | High Germany Road / Scenic US 40 | |
| Washington | 74 | Mountain Road / Scenic US 40 (eastbound only) | |
| Washington | 77 | Woodmont Road / Scenic US 40 West / MD 144 East | |
| Washington | Hancock | 82A | US 522 South |
| Washington | Hancock | 82B/C | Interstate 70 / US 522 North |
- Exit number not signed, based on milepost
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Shunpiking the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Shunpiking the Interstate 70 portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike via Interstate 68 and Interstate 79 is actually shorter than using the Turnpike. From Hancock, Maryland to Washington, Pennsylvania using the Turnpike the route is 155 miles (250 km), while the Shunpiking route from Hancock, Maryland to Washington, Pennsylvania via Morgantown, West Virginia is 151.8 miles (244 km). The speed limit is also higher on the Shunpiking route as West Virginia has a speed limit of 70 mph (110 km/h).
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Notes
- The main reason for Interstate 68's construction was to create, in conjunction with Interstate 79 between Morgantown and Washington, Pennsylvania, a free bypass for the I-70 portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
- A 340-foot (104 m) deep cut in the top of Sideling Hill was made to allow the highway to pass through six miles (10 km) west of Hancock. This exposed a syncline, a trough-shaped fold in the rock of Sideling Hill. An exhibit center was built at the site, and it opened in 1991. This cut is one of the most impressive rock exposures in the northeastern United States.
- Interstate 68 designation was originally applied to US 50 (the John Hanson Highway) from Interstate 95/Capital Beltway to Annapolis, Maryland. This section now carries the secret I-595 designation.
- The section through Cumberland, Maryland is one of the most substandard sections of Interstate highway, falling well below Interstate standards, however, there was no realistic alternate route so it was included in I-68. Built as U.S. Highway 40 in 1965, the tight character, narrow lanes and very limited sight distance warrant a 40 mph (60 km/h) speed limit and most exits are posted at 15 mph (25 km/h).
- Interstate 268 has been proposed as a designation for the West Run Expressway, a planned northeast bypass of Morgantown, West Virginia, connecting to I-79 in Pennsylvania.
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See also
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External links
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References
- 2005 Rand McNally "The Road Atlas 2005"
| Primary Interstate Highways |  |
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| 4 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 19 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 29 |
| 30 | 35 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 |
| 49 | 55 | 57 | 59 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 68 |
| 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 (W) |
| 76 (E) | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 |
| 84 (W) | 84 (E) | 85 | 86 (W) | 86 (E) | 87 | 88 (W) | 88 (E) |
| 89 | 90 | 91 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 |
| 99 | 238 | H-1 | H-2 | H-3 | |||
| Unsigned Interstate Highways | |||||||
| A-1 | A-2 | A-3 | A-4 | PRI-1 | PRI-2 | PRI-3 | |
| Lists Two-digit Interstates - Three-digit Interstates Gaps in Interstates - Intrastate Interstates Interstate standards - Proposed Interstates |
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