Rockville, MD to Baltimore Highlands, MD is 38.1 miles and takes about 55 minutes via I 95 and Intercounty Connector, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip that keeps you within Maryland for its entirety, moving from the Northeast region towards another part of the Northeast. Expect a mixed drive that balances efficient highway travel with some local road segments. It’s a relatively short journey, making it a convenient option for a quick relocation or a visit between these two Maryland locations.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
14.5 mi
16m
Intercounty Connector
10.1 mi
12m
Norbeck Road
3.6 mi
5m
Hollins Ferry Road
1.5 mi
3m
Baltimore Beltway
0.9 mi
1m
Annapolis Road
0.7 mi
1m
Veirs Mill Road
0.5 mi
1m
First Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 14.5 mi, about 16m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~5,983 veh/hr typical
· worst 8,079
Quietest
2 AM
~695 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockville, MD and Baltimore Highlands, MD.
1
Start on South Washington Street
300 ft·16 sec·South Washington Street
2
Turn left onto MD 28
0.3 mi·50 sec·West Jefferson Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on MD 28
0.5 mi·1 min·Veirs Mill Road
4
Turn left onto MD 28
0.5 mi·1 min·First Street
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on MD 28
3.6 mi·5 min·Norbeck Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto MD 97
0.3 mi·37 sec·Georgia Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward MD 200 Toll East
8
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
10 mi·12 min·Intercounty Connector
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Exit 19CToward I 95: Laurel, BurtonsvilleUse the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·39 sec
Toward MD 198: Konterra Drive
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward MD 198: Laurel, Burtonsville
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·39 sec
Toward MD 198 West: BurtonsvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·50 sec
14
Merge onto I 95
15 mi·16 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 49AToward I 695 East: Glen Burnie, Key BridgeUse the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto I 695
0.9 mi·1 min·Baltimore Beltway
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Exit 9Toward Lansdowne, Maryland Food BankUse the right lane.
18
Turn right onto Hollins Ferry Road
1.5 mi·3 min·Hollins Ferry Road
19
Turn right onto Daisy Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·Daisy Avenue
20
At end of road, turn right onto MD 648
0.7 mi·1 min·Annapolis Road
21
Turn left onto Virginia Avenue
0.3 mi·49 sec·Virginia Avenue
22
Turn right onto Washington Street
121 ft·4 sec·Washington Street
23
Arrive at destination
Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Rockville, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 35.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|MD 28 / West Jefferson Street
Turn left onto MD 28 / West Jefferson Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
15.9 mi into trip|~23m in
Take the exit toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 19C
Toward I 95: Laurel, Burtonsville
7
17.9 mi into trip|~26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 198 West: Burtonsville
8
33.7 mi into trip|~44m in
Take the exit toward I 695 East: Glen Burnie, Key Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 49A
Toward I 695 East: Glen Burnie, Key Bridge
8
35.1 mi into trip|~47m in
Take the exit toward Lansdowne, Maryland Food Bank
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 9
Toward Lansdowne, Maryland Food Bank
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.08 one way
$12.15 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg13 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$6.72
$13.45
premium
$4.81
$7.21
$14.42
diesel
$4.80
$7.19
$14.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
11.4
0
$4.00
$1.83
Efficient EV
9.5
0
$3.33
$1.52
EV Truck/SUV
15.2
0
$5.33
$2.44
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 3, 2026
Origin
Rockville, MD
Late night
in Rockville on Monday
Local time
2:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Clear
NW 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 3 at 3:19AM EDT until July 4 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 3 at 1:57AM EDT until July 4 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Destination
Baltimore Highlands, MD
Late night
in Baltimore Highlands on Monday
Local time
2:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Clear
W 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 3 at 3:19AM EDT until July 4 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 3 at 1:57AM EDT until July 4 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
55m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is characterized as a mixed route, with about 38% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a 14.5-mile stretch on I-95, offering a period of consistent, faster travel. The route also incorporates segments on the Intercounty Connector and Norbeck Road, suggesting a blend of interstate speeds and more local road conditions. This variety means you'll likely encounter changes in speed limits and traffic patterns as you progress from Rockville towards Baltimore Highlands.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.5 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near MD 28 / West Jefferson Street.
Driving Effort10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 38.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 28 / West Jefferson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
492 ft32 ft
Total Climb
328 ft
Total Descent
751 ft
Highest Point
492 ft
~5.4 mi in
Elevation Range
460 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Rockville, MD and Baltimore Highlands, MD, road signs point toward Burtonsville, Lansdowne and Maryland Food Bank.
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 38.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.5 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Baltimore Highlands, MD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 28 / West Jefferson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Baltimore Highlands, MD before heading back.
