U.S. Route 301 in Maryland partially coincident with Maryland Route 5
Route description
US 301 is a Blue Star Memorial Highway for its entire length in Maryland. The Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland declared the U.S. Highway a Blue Star Memorial Highway as a tribute to the United States Armed Forces in 1948, and a 1953 resolution signed by Governor William Preston Lane, Jr., officially dedicated US 301 as such. The highway's primary name from the Potomac River to Bowie is Robert Crain Highway. Robert Crain was a Charles County farmer and lawyer who spearheaded the construction of a new highway to directly connect Baltimore and Southern Maryland that was completed in 1927. Along its concurrency with US 50 and unsigned I-595 from Bowie to the Severn River, US 301 follows John Hanson Highway. The freeway is named for John Hanson, the first President of the Continental Congress in 1781.Short portions of US 301 are included among several Maryland Scenic Byways. US 301 is part of the Religious Freedom Byway, from Maryland Route 257 (MD 257) to MD 234 near Newburg and from Popes Creek Road at Faulkner to Chapel Point Road at Bel Alton in southern Charles County. That byway is also a National Scenic Byway, the Religious Freedom Byway. US 301 is included in the Booth's Escape Scenic Byway from the Potomac River to Edge Hill Road in Newburg, from Popes Creek Road at Faulkner to Bel Alton Newtown Road at Bel Alton, and along its concurrency with MD 5 from Waldorf to Brandywine. The U.S. Highway is part of the Star-Spangled Banner Scenic Byway from MD 382 at Marlton to MD 725 in Upper Marlboro.US 301 is almost entirely maintained by the Maryland State Highway Administration. The exceptions include the Governor Harry W. Nice Bridge across the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge across the Chesapeake Bay and the respective bridges' approach roads and toll plazas, which are maintained by the Maryland Transportation Authority. US 301 is a part of the National Highway System for its entire length.
partially overlapping with partially intersecting with partially sharing with partially matching with partially aligning with