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| Maryland Route 139 | |
|---|---|
| State | MD |
| Type | MD |
| Route | 139 |
| Length mi | 5.34 |
| Established | 1927 |
| Direction a | South |
| Terminus a | Downtown Baltimore (U.S. Route 1/U.S. Route 40 Truck) |
| Junction | I-83; US 1 |
| Direction b | North |
| Terminus b | Towson (Warren Road) |
| Counties | Baltimore County |
Maryland Route 139 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route links central Baltimore neighborhoods with the northern suburbs around Towson via arterial streets including Charles Street and York Road. It provides connections to major corridors such as Interstate 83, U.S. Route 1, and local arterials serving institutions like Johns Hopkins Hospital, Towson University, and the Baltimore County Courthouse.
The route begins in central Baltimore near the Inner Harbor and heads north along Charles Street past landmarks like the Baltimore Washington Monument, Mount Vernon Place, and the cultural institutions of the Peabody Institute, The Walters Art Museum, Lyric Opera House, and the Center for the Arts. Northbound, the alignment passes the campuses of Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Hospital before crossing neighborhoods such as Charles Village, Remington, and Medfield. Continuing into Baltimore County, the highway traverses suburban corridors flanked by commercial strips near Roland Park and Guilford, intersects York Road/US 1 Business and negotiates interchanges with I-83 near the Jones Falls Expressway. Approaching Towson, the road serves retail districts adjacent to Towson Town Center, Goucher College, and the Towson Courthouse before terminating near Warren Road and local collector streets that feed into Dulaney Valley Road and Providence Road.
The corridor traces roots to early 19th-century roads linking Baltimore with northern settlements; it gained numbered status in the 1920s amid statewide highway renumbering that also affected routes such as US 40 and US 1. Throughout the mid-20th century the route was reshaped by urban projects associated with the expansion of the Jones Falls Expressway and the postwar suburbanization that produced shopping centers like Towson Town Center and educational expansions at Towson University. Traffic engineering improvements in the 1950s–1970s included signalization, median installations, and turn lanes influenced by standards promulgated by agencies such as the AASHTO and the Maryland State Highway Administration. Preservation and streetscape efforts in the Mount Vernon Place Historic District and commercial revitalization programs in Towson have led to multimodal adjustments, linking to transit services like Maryland Transit Administration bus lines and commuter connections with Baltimore Light RailLink and MARC Train corridors.
The highway intersects a sequence of urban and suburban routes that form critical links in the Baltimore region transportation network. Key junctions include connections with US 1/US 40 in downtown, interchanges with I-83/Jones Falls Expressway near the city line, crossings of York Road/US 1 Business approaching suburban centers, and termination at links feeding into Towson collectors adjacent to Dulaney Valley Road and Providence Road. These intersections tie the route into regional facilities like BWI Airport access corridors and north–south arterials connecting to I-95 and I-695.
Several short state-designated spurs and connecting segments accompany the main alignment, providing access to institutional complexes and neighborhood streets. These include connector ramps and service roads servicing properties near Johns Hopkins Hospital, access spurs to retail areas adjacent to Towson Town Center, and minor numbered segments facilitating transitions to York Road and local collectors. Auxiliary links support multimodal transfers with Maryland Transit Administration bus stops and park-and-ride facilities that connect to MARC Train stations and Baltimore Light RailLink nodes.
Traffic volumes vary from dense urban flows in Downtown Baltimore and the Mount Vernon cultural district to heavy commuter and retail traffic around Towson Town Center. Peak-period congestion aligns with regional commute patterns tied to employment centers such as Johns Hopkins Hospital, academic institutions like Towson University and Goucher College, and judicial services at the Baltimore County Courthouse. The corridor also serves event-driven surges for venues including Lyric Opera House and university athletic facilities. Freight movements use the route for short-haul deliveries to commercial districts, while transit riders depend on Maryland Transit Administration bus lines that operate along the corridor.
Planned and proposed initiatives affecting the route range from streetscape enhancements in historic districts to intersection modernization projects coordinated by the Maryland State Highway Administration and regional planning agencies such as the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. Proposals include multimodal improvements integrating bicycle facilities promoted by advocacy groups like Baltimore Bicycle Club, pedestrian safety upgrades near institutional campuses, and coordinated signal system projects leveraging technologies advocated by the Federal Highway Administration. Potential land-use changes around Towson driven by developers and municipal planning commissions may prompt capacity adjustments, parking management reforms, and transit priority measures to better serve commuters and local businesses.
Category:State highways in Maryland Category:Transportation in Baltimore County, Maryland