Maryland Route 85 - History

History

MD 85 is the old alignment of US 15 from Tuscarora to Frederick. A portion of the highway was originally the Frederick and Buckeystown Turnpike from its junction with the Frederick and Monocacy Turnpike (which became US 240 and is now MD 355) at Evergreen Point to 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Buckeystown. The old turnpike was resurfaced in macadam by 1921. The remainder of modern Buckeystown Pike was paved as a 15-foot (4.6 m) wide concrete road from south of Buckeystown to around Lily Pons Road in 1918 and 1919 and south of Lily Pons Road to just north of the modern MD 28 junction by 1921. The concrete highway was extended south through the MD 28 junction to MD 28's junction with Nolands Ferry Road by 1923. Buckeystown Pike was designated US 15 in 1927. At that time, US 15 had yet to be constructed as a modern highway from Tuscarora to the bridge across the Potomac River at Point of Rocks. US 15 from Tuscarora to Point of Rocks was completed in 1933.

The first significant improvement to US 15 between Tuscarora and Frederick came in 1951 and 1952 when the U.S. highway was reconstructed and widened from Evergreen Point to Lime Kiln. In 1950, construction began on the Washington National Pike freeway, which would later become I-270. As part of that construction, a cloverleaf interchange was constructed between US 15 and the new freeway, which had its northern terminus at US 15 until US 40's segment of the Frederick Bypass opened in 1956. US 15 was moved to Washington National Pike north of Buckeystown Pike after the completion of the Frederick Freeway in 1959. The portion of Buckeystown Pike between the freeway and MD 355 was designated MD 806, which is used for several segments of the old alignment of US 15 north of Frederick. After US 15's present alignment north of Point of Rocks was completed in 1970, MD 85 was assigned to Buckeystown Pike south of I-270. MD 85 was extended north to MD 355 at Evergreen Point in 1971, replacing MD 806. The two loop ramps from MD 85 to I-270 were taken out of service to transform the interchange to its present partial cloverleaf by 1999; the loop ramps remain paved but blocked off.

The reconstruction of I-70 Exit 54 began in 2001 to replace the tight folded diamond interchange between the Interstate and MD 355 constructed in 1956 as part of the Frederick Freeway. The ramps between MD 355 and westbound I-70 were removed and temporarily replaced with ramps to and from Stadium Drive. In 2005, the intersection between MD 85 and MD 355 was transformed into a perpendicular intersection from the previous angled junction. MD 85 was extended north of MD 355 as a four-lane divided highway to a pair of ramps to and from eastbound I-70; the eastbound ramps at MD 355 were removed. Related to the project was an extension of East Street south from downtown Frederick to near I-70 that was temporarily designated MD 475. The overall project was completed in 2009 when a single-point urban interchange was completed between I-70 and MD 85. At the same time, MD 85 was extended north to its present terminus, the temporary ramps between Stadium Drive and westbound I-70 were removed, East Street was completed between MD 85 and downtown Frederick, and the unsigned MD 475 designation was removed from East Street.

The Maryland State Highway Administration plans to expand MD 85 to a four-lane divided highway from English Muffin Way north to MD 355 as part of a three-phase project. Phase 1 includes the state highway from Crestwood Boulevard to just north of its interchange with I-270. The interchange will be reconstructed in a five-ramp configuration. I-270's bridges over MD 85, originally built in 1950, will be replaced. Phase 2 will extend the four-lane divided highway south from MD 355 to just north of I-270. Phase 3 from English Muffin Way to Crestwood Boulevard includes a new bridge over Ballenger Creek.