One of the oddest members of the
Interstate Highway System. To all appearances, this stretch of
Maryland highway, running from the
Capital Beltway east to
Annapolis, is an ordinary interstate highway. This road, also known as the
John Hanson Highway, has the whole Interstate Highway package: Concrete, four lanes or more in both directions, median strip, convoluted interchanges.
The odd thing about it is that few people know it is an Interstate.
Because of public outcry from Annapolitans (and the local press) when
US 50 was to have been upgraded to
Interstate 68, the road's improvement plan was radically changed. Well, all the improvements were made, all the trees that were going to be cut down were cut down, and if anything, the interchanges were made more convoluted. However, all of the retaining walls near Annapolis now sport a
spiffy brick facing.
The final part of the revision was not to call it an "Interstate". You will see US Highway shields sporting a 50. East of
Bowie, you will also see signs indicating that the road is
US 301. And right around Annapolis, you will also see Maryland Highway rectangles with a big "2".
You will not see a blue shield displaying a "595" anywhere along the route.
P.S. My AAA Road Atlas shows it as "Future Interstate 595".