Interstate 68

Interstate 68
State	MD/WV
Route	Interstate 68
Length mi	112.6
Established	1991
Direction a	West
Terminus a	Morgantown
Direction b	East
Terminus b	Baltimore
Counties	Monongalia County, Preston County, Garrett County, Allegany County, Washington County

Interstate 68 is a primary east–west Interstate Highway connecting the Appalachian regions of West Virginia and western Maryland. The route traverses rural and urban corridors, linking Morgantown near the Monongahela River to the Cumberland metropolitan area and eastward toward Hagerstown and the Baltimore region. Built to modern Interstate standards, the highway provides a high-speed corridor through the Allegheny Mountains, serving freight, commuter, and tourist traffic between the Mid-Atlantic and the Midwest.

Route description

The roadway begins near Morgantown at an interchange with Interstate 79 and parallels regional corridors such as U.S. Route 40 and the historic National Road. Heading east, the route ascends the Allegheny Front and traverses the highlands of Preston County, passing near communities like Kingwood and Frostburg. Crossing into Maryland, the roadway serves Garrett County and descends through the Potomac River headwaters toward Cumberland, where it intersects with U.S. 220 and provides access to downtown via MD 51.

East of Cumberland, the highway follows a corridor incorporating portions of the Allegheny Plateau and runs parallel to the CSX rail lines and the historic Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The corridor approaches Frostburg and LaVale before connecting to Interstate 70 and Interstate 270 corridors near the western outskirts of the Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area. The eastern terminus connects with major arteries serving Hagerstown and suburbs of Baltimore and provides links to Interstate 95 via connecting routes.

History

Early proposals for an improved trans-Appalachian route trace to advocacy by regional planners and U.S. DOT officials seeking a modern link for the National Highway System. The original alignments followed the National Road and U.S. 40 corridors, with engineering studies influenced by terrain challenges identified during surveys by the Federal Highway Administration and state departments of transportation in West Virginia and Maryland.

Construction phases spanned decades, with early segments completed as upgrades to existing two-lane routes during the 1960s and 1970s. Key milestones included the completion of the high-elevation stretches across the Allegheny Mountains and the interchange complexes near Cumberland and Hagerstown. Legislative acts in the United States Congress provided funding through interstate highway authorizations, while environmental reviews involved agencies such as the EPA due to sensitive Appalachian ecosystems. The corridor's designation in the Interstate network formalized decades of regional development, with ceremonial openings attended by officials from the MDOT and West Virginia Division of Highways.

Exit list

Major interchanges include junctions with I-79 near Morgantown, connections to US 219 and US 220 near Cumberland, and an eastern junction with I-70 providing access toward Frederick and Baltimore. Intermediate interchanges serve communities along US 40, including access to LaVale, Frostburg, and rural townships in Garrett County.

Auxiliary ramps and service interchanges connect to state routes such as MD 36, MD 42, and MD 51, facilitating regional mobility and emergency diversions to corridors like US 40 Alt. Freight-oriented exits support connections to industrial sites served by CSX and regional logistics centers near Cumberland and Morgantown.

Services and facilities

Rest areas and service plazas provide traveler amenities, while nearby towns host lodging chains and local establishments in Frostburg, Cumberland, and Morgantown. Commercial services near major interchanges include fuel and truck stops that serve carriers operating along corridors toward I-81 and I-70. Park-and-ride lots and transit connections link to regional bus providers serving the Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area and intercity carriers connecting to hubs such as Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Traveler information is coordinated by state agencies such as the MDOT and West Virginia Division of Highways, with traveler advisories broadcast by regional transportation management centers and emergency services like local Virginia State Police-adjacent patrol units for interstate enforcement and incident response.

Traffic and safety

Traffic volumes vary, with higher average annual daily traffic near urbanized nodes like Morgantown and lower counts across rural stretches in Garrett County. Freight traffic is significant due to the corridor's role as a connector between the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic. Safety initiatives have included shoulder widening, guardrail upgrades, and targeted speed-enforcement campaigns coordinated with agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and state police departments.

Weather-related hazards—particularly winter storms influenced by Appalachian elevation—necessitate seasonal maintenance by state snow-removal crews and anti-icing programs managed by MDOT and West Virginia Division of Highways. Historical incident patterns have prompted infrastructure improvements at high-accident interchanges and the installation of intelligent transportation systems supported by the Federal Highway Administration.

Future developments and projects

Planned projects focus on capacity improvements, interchange reconstruction, and resiliency measures addressing stormwater and erosion in the Allegheny Mountains. Funding initiatives have been advanced through state transportation improvement programs administered by MDOT and state legislatures, with federal grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Proposals include ramp reconfigurations near Cumberland, safety upgrades on steep grades, and potential auxiliary lanes to improve freight flow toward I-70 and I-79.

Environmental mitigation work will involve coordination with the EPA and state natural resource agencies to protect watersheds feeding the Potomac River and tributaries. Community engagement processes with municipal governments in Frostburg, LaVale, and Morgantown aim to balance mobility improvements with local planning objectives.

Category:Interstate Highways in Maryland Category:Interstate Highways in West Virginia