MD: MD 18 and MD 456 annoyances at US 301

[dave1693]

Something unexpected that bit me the other weekend while traveling back from eastern PA down the MD eastern shore: when you're driving on MD 18 West out of Queenstown, you are FORCED onto US 301 South. It is impossible to continue on MD 18 across 301. The same is true in the opposite direction, going east on MD 18 and approaching US 301 forces one onto 301 North. You can get from either direction of US 301 to both directions of MD 18 but MD 18 is not continuous across US 301.

The same appears to be true of MD 456 where it attempts to cross US 301 south of Queenstown.

Does this break the continuity of each of the two state routes sufficiently that we need to break their HB files in twain?

[oscar]

^ This is fairly common on the Eastern Shore, though I don't have specific additional examples in mind.

I don't think these wonky intersections call for route splits, or any other changes. You can still continue on MD 18, and MD 456, from one side of US 301 to the other, even if that trip requires a short jog on one direction or other of US 301.

[Markkos1992]

Yeah, this is the case with quite a few routes that intersect US 301 (MD 305, MD 300, MD 544, MD 313). 

There is also US 50 at MD 18 at Queenstown that does the same thing.  Breaking these up is definitely more trouble than it is worth IMO (even though the MD HLR separates them into MD 456 and MD 456A).

[Duke87]

Yeah, you'd end up with two routes with the same number that end at the same point if they were broken up. I do not see this as warranted.

And as oscar correctly points out, continuing straight ahead is possible, it just requires making a Michigan left in the process. Dedicated U-turns are even provided for this express purpose.

Leaving these alone, therefore.