Primary route
I-83
Baltimore to Harrisburg
Length85.3 mi
Designated1959
States2
Junctions2
About I-83
Also known as Jones Falls Expressway, Baltimore-Harrisburg Expressway.
From Baltimore, MD (I-695) to Harrisburg, PA (I-81)
Interstate 83 is a short north-south route running about 85 miles from Baltimore, Maryland, to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It begins in downtown Baltimore as the Jones Falls Expressway, following the Jones Falls valley northward out of the city, and continues as the Baltimore-Harrisburg Expressway through suburban Baltimore County. After crossing the Mason-Dixon line it runs north through York, Pennsylvania, to end at Interstate 81 near Harrisburg.
The Maryland portion threads through dense urban and suburban areas, passing Timonium and Cockeysville before reaching open country in northern Baltimore County. The Pennsylvania portion crosses gently rolling farmland of York County, bypassing several boroughs on its way to the York and Harrisburg areas.
The corridor links two state capitals and serves heavy commuter traffic at both ends, particularly into Baltimore along the Jones Falls Expressway. It provides a direct connection between the Baltimore metropolitan area and the Susquehanna Valley around Harrisburg.
State-by-state mileage
| State | Miles |
|---|---|
| Maryland | 34.5 |
| Pennsylvania | 50.8 |
| Total | 85.3 |
History
Interstate 83 was designated in 1959 and assembled from urban expressway and intercity freeway segments built through the late 1950s and 1960s. The Jones Falls Expressway in Baltimore was developed as part of the city freeway program and incorporated into the Interstate.
The completed route connected downtown Baltimore with Harrisburg by way of York, joining the metropolitan freeway system at its southern end and Interstate 81 at its northern end.
Major cities and places
BaltimoreTimoniumShrewsburyYorkHarrisburg
Notable features
- Jones Falls Expressway
Did you know
- The southern terminus is in downtown Baltimore and the northern terminus is at I-81 near Harrisburg.
- It begins as the Jones Falls Expressway following the Jones Falls valley out of Baltimore.
- It briefly joins I-695, the Baltimore Beltway, before continuing north.
- The route links the state capitals of Maryland and Pennsylvania by way of York.