Interstate 795 in Maryland
A spur to Baltimore's suburbs
While yet on another trip to Baltimore in the late part of 2006 (basically to use a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards ticket before it expires), I took a ride on Interstate 795. Basically Interstate 795 runs in a northwest direction from its junction with Interstate 695 a few miles north of Interstate 70 to the town of Reisterstown which is located just outside the Baltimore beltway. I took a side trip through Reisterstown and the historic part of the town is picturesque and makes for a good side day trip if you are in the greater Baltimore/Washington area.
Interstate 795 runs for a length of about eight miles, which would relatively compare to Interstate 275 from 4 St N (Exit 32) in St. Petersburg crossing the Howard Frankland Bridge to Lois Avenue (Exit 40B) in Tampa. The first few miles of Interstate 795 after it begins at Interstate 695 consists of the Baltimore Metro Subway running down the center median and terminating at the Owings Mills Station, which there is a park and ride lot for the commuters that live on the outskirts of this area of greater Baltimore. At Interstate 795's northern end is MD 30 and MD 140 where motorists can continue on to Westminster and Hanover.
On a side note, I would not mind seeing a subway or commuter rail running down the median of Interstate 275 in the Tampa Bay region. In fact, when the improvements for Interstate 275 from FL 60 (Exit 39) to downtown Tampa were constructed it features space in the median to accommodate a future light rail or commuter rail line. Anything rail related is desperately needed for the rapid growth the Tampa Bay region is now experiencing rather than more buses or expanding existing roads further. When I drove on Interstate 795 I had envisioned that someday a subway, light rail or commuter rail line would run down the center median of Interstate 275.
Scott Kozel has a well written history of Interstate 795 in Baltimore of which you can access simply by clicking on this link.
Interstate 795 in Maryland in 2006
All pictures were taken on Interstate 795 northbound unless otherwise noted.
Interstate 795 in Maryland in 2015
Things have changed over the span of nine years. Maryland did adopt the Clearview font for highway signs but Florida did not, sticking to the tried and true FHWA Series Highway Gothic. In 2015 I paid a visit to Interstate 795 in the Baltimore area over Labor Day weekend and I have noticed some signage changes abound as I traversed the 9 miles of Interstate 795 between Interstate 695 and MD 140 in Reistertown.
