Naylor Road

Naylor Road
Name	Naylor Road
Location	Prince George's County, Montgomery County, Maryland
Direction a	West
Terminus a	Branch Avenue (Maryland Route 5) vicinity
Direction b	East
Terminus b	Suitland Parkway vicinity
Counties	Prince George's County, Maryland, Montgomery County, Maryland

Naylor Road is a major arterial in suburban Prince George's County, Maryland serving communities and connecting corridors near Washington, D.C., Suitland, Capitol Heights, and Forestville. The roadway links residential enclaves, federal facilities, and transit nodes with regional routes such as Maryland Route 5, Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway), and Suitland Parkway. It forms part of the local network used for commuting to centers like Downtown Washington, D.C., Pentagon, Joint Base Andrews, and Anacostia River crossings.

Route description

Naylor Road runs generally northwest–southeast through Prince George's County, Maryland with termini near Branch Avenue (Maryland Route 5), Suitland Parkway, and local collectors feeding into Indian Head Highway (Maryland Route 210), Pennsylvania Avenue (Maryland), and Rosaryville Road. The corridor traverses suburban sites adjacent to Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, Suitland, Maryland, Morningside, Maryland, Oxon Hill, Maryland, and the fringes of Silver Hill, Maryland. Major crossings and intersections provide access to federal installations such as Joint Base Andrews, National Harbor, and municipal services around District Heights, Maryland and Capitol Heights, Maryland. The street geometry includes two- and four-lane segments, signalized intersections near retail centers, and sidewalks connecting to bicycle facilities proposed by Prince George's County Department of Public Works and Transportation, Maryland Department of Transportation, and regional planning studies by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

History

The alignment evolved from early 20th-century county roads serving Washington, D.C. suburbs during expansion tied to the Great Migration, New Deal infrastructure projects, and post-World War II suburbanization driven by access to Anacostia Naval Air Station and later Andrews Air Force Base. Mid-century development linked the corridor to growth around Capitol Beltway construction with planning influenced by agencies such as National Capital Planning Commission and initiatives like Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. Redevelopment and zoning changes stemmed from local measures by the Prince George's County Council and land-use plans in the Prince George's County Master Plan. Community activism by groups associated with Manna Church, Prince George's African American Museum & Cultural Center, and neighborhood associations shaped traffic calming, pedestrian safety, and commercial zoning along the corridor.

Public transportation and transit stations

The corridor is served by regional transit providers including Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Metrobus (Washington, D.C.), and Prince George's County TheBus. Nearby rail and rapid transit nodes include Naylor Road station on the Washington Metro Green Line (Washington Metro), as well as transfer points to Blue Line (Washington Metro) and Orange Line (Washington Metro) services via Largo Town Center station and Suitland station. Commuter bus routes connect to centers like Union Station (Washington, D.C.), Gallery Place–Chinatown station, and Rosslyn station, while shuttle services link to Joint Base Andrews and federal buildings such as the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security facilities. Intermodal connections coordinate with projects by the Maryland Transit Administration and regional grants from the Federal Transit Administration.

Major intersections and connections

Key intersections include junctions with Branch Avenue (Maryland Route 5), ramps to Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway), access to Suitland Parkway, and crossings near Pennsylvania Avenue (Maryland). The corridor interfaces with arterial roads providing continuity to Indian Head Highway (Maryland Route 210), Pennsylvania Avenue (Maryland), and collector streets toward Rich Hill Farm and National Harbor. Signalized nodes and roundabouts were proposed in planning documents by the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration to improve flow near commercial centers and institutional entrances such as Fairmont Heights High School and civic locations like Prince George's County Courthouse.

Surrounding neighborhoods and land use

Land use along the corridor mixes residential subdivisions in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland and Morningside, Maryland, retail strips anchored by national chains present elsewhere in Capacity Market-style shopping nodes, faith institutions including St. Ambrose Church (Montgomery County, Maryland), and community services such as libraries affiliated with the Prince George's County Memorial Library System. Proximity to recreational resources like the Anacostia River Trail, parks under the purview of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and conservation areas inform open-space planning. Affordable housing initiatives and mixed-use proposals referenced in county planning engaged stakeholders including Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission and nonprofit developers such as Habitat for Humanity affiliates.

Notable incidents and development projects

The corridor has been the focus of safety campaigns after incidents investigated by the Prince George's County Police Department and statewide enforcement coordinated with the Maryland State Police. Community response to high-profile collisions involved advocacy by organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and local civic leagues. Redevelopment efforts include streetscape modernization grants pursued with assistance from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, transit-oriented development concepts tied to Naylor Road station that reference examples like Silver Spring Transit Center and Bethesda Row, and retail redevelopment plans competing with nodes such as National Harbor and Oxon Hill Farm. Infrastructure investments involved federal funding streams administered by the Department of Transportation (United States), planning oversight by the Federal Highway Administration, and local execution through Prince George's County Department of Public Works and Transportation projects to enhance sidewalks, lighting, and stormwater management.

Category:Roads in Prince George's County, Maryland