MD 38 begins in the town of Kitzmiller at the Kitzmiller Bridge across the North Branch Potomac River. The highway continues on the other side of the river as WV 42 (Blaine Highway) in Blaine. After passing Main Street, MD 38 begins its steep, curvy ascent of Backbone Mountain as a two-lane undivided road. The southbound direction of the state highway features a mandatory truck stop to check brakes at the top of the 2-mile (3.2 km) hill. Beyond the truck pull-off, MD 38 continues uphill at a more gentle gradient all the way to its northern terminus at MD 135 (Maryland Highway) on the ridgeline of Backbone Mountain.[1][2]
History
MD 38 originally extended north toward Deep Creek Lake. The state highway descended Backbone Mountain toward Altamont and continued west to Deer Park following what is now MD 135 and Edgewood Drive into the center of the town. In Deer Park, MD 38 turned north along Main Street and followed Sand Flat Road to US 219 near Thayerville.[3] MD 38 was paved from its original northern terminus through Deer Park to Altamont between 1924 and 1926.[4][5] The highway was extended east to the top of Backbone Mountain by 1930; this construction included the bridge over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Altamont.[6][7] The present segment of MD 38 south to Kitzmiller was under construction by 1930 and completed in 1933.[7][8][9] The present bridge across the North Branch Potomac River and an approach road beginning at State Street on the north were completed in 1955.[10][11] This bridge replaced the original 1892 bridge that crossed the river just to the east of the present crossing.[10][12] MD 38 was rolled back to its current northern terminus on top of Backbone Mountain in 1956. MD 135 was relocated onto the portion of MD 38 between MD 38's present terminus and Deer Park and extended west toward Oakland. Sand Flat Road was transferred to county maintenance.[13]
^Uhl, G. Clinton; Bruce, Howard; Shaw, John K. (October 1, 1930). Report of the State Roads Commission of Maryland (1927–1930 ed.). Baltimore: Maryland State Roads Commission. p. 68. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
^Bonnell, Robert O.; Bennett, Edgar T.; McMullen, John J. (November 2, 1956). Report of the State Roads Commission of Maryland (1955–1956 ed.). Baltimore: Maryland State Roads Commission. p. 189. Retrieved 2010-02-27.