US 50 - Ocean Gateway
Trappe to Queenstown
Serving as a mostly north/south highway through Talbot and Queen Anne counties, US 50 acts as both an urban boulevard and a rural highway. In Easton, the Ocean Gateway is your typical urban street... serving as a strip for fast food restaurants and convenience store. Also in Easton, US 50 meets up with the former US 213's pre-1935 alignment, which is now MD 331. Also... US 50 (and former US 213)'s former alignment weaves back and forth along it's trek to Wye Mills. That alignment is now known as MD 662.
US 50/Ocean Gateway traveling west toward Easton.
Intersection with Almhouse and Hole In The Wall Roads.
Traveling through scenic Talbot County along US 50.
Intersection with MD 565... US 50/213's original alignment through the area. Also... second pic shows a LGS (little green sign) for the forthcoming interchange with MD 322/Easton Parkway.
Guide sign showing "Scenic Peninsula" highlights. These signs were just posted within the past year.
Left exit interchange with MD 322/Easton Parkway.
Temporary VMS in front of State Police barracks in Easton. The message reads "Click it or ticket"... reminding everyone of Maryland's manditory seat belt law.
While entering Easton, you are met by this warning sign for the upcoming intersection with Dutchmans Lane. This sign used to be an alert sign for Maryland's highway radio network. It was converted to this advance warning sign after a bad accident involving a school bus full of children where the bus driver was killed in 1998.
Intersection with Dutchmans Lane.
Entering Easton on US 50/Ocean Gateway.
Intersection with MD 331/Dover Road. MD 331 was the now decommissioned US 213's original alignment through Delmarva.
Intersection with MD 328/Goldsborough Avenue/Matthewstown Road.
US 50 in the heart of Easton's fast food strip. You'll find all of your typical fast food fare.
Leaving Easton.
Intersection with Chapel Road. This shows your typical older span wire signal installation in Maryland. MD is slowly phasing these out with newer mast arm installations.
Left merge interchange with MD 322/Easton Parkway. The middle picture shows one of the last remaining US 50 trailblazers with the "Ocean Gateway" marker on it.
By the way... if anyone has a clearer pic of one of these that they'd be willing to contribute... I'd be very happy. :-)
Intersection with MD 309. This section parallels the Easton airport, and was almost forced to be located within the last month, because of it's close proximity with the runways from the airport. Notice the red marker lights on top of the signal masts.
Scenes of farming along US 50... westbound toward Wye Mills.
Intersection with Rabbit Hill Road.
Continuing west toward Wye Mills.
Advance signage for intersection with Probasco Landing Road/Plugge Road.
Second intersection with MD 662. MD 662 is US 50 (and former US 213)'s original alignment through the area.
Bridges over Skipton Creek. The bridges for the westbound side were originally built in 1948... the eastbound side in 1960. All of the bridges were reconstructed in the early '90s.
Approaching third and fourth intersections with MD 662.
Fourth intersection with MD 662.
Continuing westerly toward Wye Mills.
Intersection with MD 404. MD 404 is the other major beach route on MD's Eastern Shore. More information can be found about it here.
Entering Queen Anne County. Traffic on this section of the highway is typically busy... especially during summer beach season. From here to the US 301 multiplex a few miles ahead, this section is due to be replaced with a full freeway section within the next few years.
Intersection with MD 213. MD 213 from here to Elkton was the former US 213 until the early '70s. When US 213 was truncated in the early 50's to allow US 50's alignment to continue to Ocean City, it's terminus was here.
Fifth intersection with MD 662. Queen Anne uses this type of advance signage along US 50 for intersections with signed highways.
Traveling the Ocean Gateway toward Queenstown. This alignment is full of twists and turns... as it follows much of what was MD 404's original alignment toward the Bay Bridge.
Intersection with Carmichael Road.
Intersection with Bloomingdale Road.
Continuing toward Queenstown on US 50. Notice the church in the second pic... US 50 is almost up against it's front door.
Interchange with MD 456.
Continuing along US 50 toward the interchange with US 301. This is the original alignment for MD 404, which used to meet up with the Chesapeake Bay ferry. When US 50 was brought across the bay, MD 404 was truncated to its current terminus.
Intersection with Outlet Center Drive.
Intersection with MD 18. MD 404 was multiplexed with MD 18 from here to near Stevensville.
Crossing over, and merging with US 301 South. US 50 enters a multiplex with US 301 at this location.
All Photos Taken April 5, 2004 by Corey Dukes
