Military Road (Washington, D.C.)

Military Road
Length2.97 mi (4.78 km)
LocationWashington, D.C.
West endWestern Avenue
East endMissouri Avenue

Military Road is a major east–west collector road and limited-access road in the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C., United States.

History[edit]

Old Military Road Bridge (Joyce Road Bridge)
New Military Road Bridge

Military Road was constructed by the Union Army during the American Civil War, intended to serve as a route connecting military forts in Northwest D.C. It also served as a second crossing over Rock Creek, with a bridge (now Joyce Road Bridge) constructed in 1929, as a bypass of the Milkhouse Road ford that initially served as the only crossing in the area.[1][2] Around 1960, a four-lane limited-access parkway bypass with a new bridge crossing Rock Creek was built, realigning Military Road from the original two-lane road across the creek.

Route[edit]

Military Road School

Military Road begins at the Maryland border in Friendship Heights as a two-lane collector road and heads east through the neighborhood of Chevy Chase where it intersects Connecticut Avenue halfway through the neighborhood. Once crossing Nebraska Avenue, Military Road widens to four lanes. Eventually, the road curves northeast, passes St. John's College High School, and crosses Oregon Avenue then becomes a 35 mph (56 km/h) limited-access road through Rock Creek Park. Through the park, Military Road has a partial trumpet interchange with Joyce Road, crosses the creek, then forms a parclo interchange with 16th Street NW. At the eastern end of the parkway portion, Military Road intersects with 14th Street NW and becomes a general arterial road, and shortly becomes Missouri Avenue, near the Military Road School, which continues east towards U.S. Route 29.

Major intersections[edit]

LocationmikmDestinationsNotes
Washington0.000.00Western Avenue at Maryland borderWestern terminus of Military Road
0.270.4341st Street NW
Reno Road
0.440.7139th Street NW
0.641.03Connecticut Avenue
0.871.40Nevada Avenue
1.031.66Nebraska Avenue
1.151.8532nd Street NW
1.242.0031st Street NW
1.372.2030th Street NW
1.562.5127th Street NW
1.762.83Oregon Avenue
Glover Road
Access to St. John's College High School
Access to Rock Creek Park
2.19–
2.26
3.52–
3.64
Joyce Road
Ross Drive
Trumpet interchange; eastbound entrance located at 16th Street interchange
Access to Rock Creek Park Golf Course
2.28–
2.34
3.67–
3.77
Bridge over Rock Creek and Beach Drive
2.56–
2.58
4.12–
4.15
Bridge over Joyce Road
2.58–
2.86
4.15–
4.60
16th Street NW
Joyce Road (eastbound entrance)
Missouri Avenue
Parclo interchange
2.894.6514th Street NW
2.974.78Missouri AvenueEastern terminus of Military Road; continuation east beyond terminus as Missouri Avenue
Access to Military Road School
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References[edit]

  1. ^ Fidler, Eric (8 January 2015). "Hidden clues reveal an old road that disappeared from DC". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ Miller, Marcia M. (1988). "Old Military Road Bridge" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record. Retrieved 11 November 2021.