Interstate 81 in Maryland - Route Description

Route Description

I-81 crosses the Potomac River from West Virginia and enters Maryland as a four-lane freeway with a speed limit of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h). The Interstate curves to the northeast around Williamsport, where the highway meets MD 68 and MD 63 (Lappans Road) at a diamond interchange (Exit 1) to the south of the town and US 11 (Virginia Avenue) at a partial cloverleaf interchange (Exit 2) to the east. Beyond US 11, I-81's speed limit drops to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). The Interstate passes along the edge of the Hagerstown suburb of Halfway, where the highway meets I-70 (Eisenhower Memorial Highway) at a cloverleaf interchange (Exit 4) with collector-distributor lanes on both I-81 and I-70. Traffic for I-68 is advised to use I-70 west. I-81 meets Halfway Boulevard, which leads to several shopping centers including the Valley Mall, at a partial cloverleaf interchange (Exit 5).

I-81 continues northeast along the west edge of Hagerstown. The Interstate crosses CSX's Lurgan Subdivision and passes under MD 144 with no access before reaching a cloverleaf interchange with US 40 (National Pike) (Exit 6). The freeway intersects MD 58 (Cearfoss Pike) at a partial cloverleaf interchange (Exit 7). Immediately to the north, I-81 has a partial interchange with Maugansville Road (Exit 8) featuring a loop exit ramp from southbound I-81 and a straight entrance ramp to the northbound direction. The Interstate curves to the north and crosses Norfolk Southern Railway's Lurgan Branch. The speed limit increases to 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) as the Interstate passes along the eastern edge of Maugansville, where the highway meets Maugans Avenue at a diamond interchange (Exit 9). I-81 meets Showalter Road, which is used to access Hagerstown Regional Airport, at a cloverleaf interchange (Exit 10) as the freeway gently curves around the airport's runway. The Interstate heads northeast to the Pennsylvania state line, on top of which the highway meets PA 163 (Mason Dixon Road) at Exit 1 of the Pennsylvania exit sequence. The southbound exit ramp to and entrance ramp from PA 163 are in Maryland and the northbound ramps are in Pennsylvania.