Interstate 97
I-97 begins at US 50 and US 301 (John Hanson Highway), which run concurrently with unsigned I-595, on the edge of the community of Parole west of Annapolis. The freeways meet at a semi-directional T interchange; the ramp from I-97 to eastbound US 50 and US 301 merges with a collector-distributor road that extends east to that freeway's interchange with MD 665 (Aris T. Allen Boulevard). I-97 heads northwest as a four-lane freeway with a speed limit of . The freeway crosses over MD 450 (Defense Highway) and passes along the south and west sides of Crownsville, where it crosses several tributaries of the Bacon Ridge Branch of the South River. North of Crownsville, I-97 has a partial interchange that comprises a pair of long ramps to MD 178 (Generals Highway); the interchange allows access from southbound I-97 to MD 178 and from the state highway to the northbound Interstate. I-97 gains an extra lane in each direction from the MD 178 ramps; those extra lanes split off at the freeway's partial interchange with the eastern end of MD 32 just north of Millersville. The Interstate curves northeast and has a complementary partial interchange with the northern end of MD 3 (Robert Crain Highway). The two state highways meet each other at a six-ramp partial cloverleaf interchange immediately to the west of I-97's sweeping curve, which facilitates all movements between the three highways.
I-97 continues north as a six-lane freeway and is closely paralleled on the east by Veterans Highway on the western edge of Severna Park. The highways cross Severn Run within Severn Run Natural Environment Area before they diverge slightly at the Interstate's partial cloverleaf interchange with Benfield Boulevard; access from northbound I-97 to the crossroad is via Veterans Highway. I-97 and Veterans Highway continue to parallel each other to the latter highway's northern end at I-97's partial cloverleaf interchange with the southern end of MD 3 Business (Robert Crain Highway) and New Cut Road. The interchange includes a flyover ramp from northbound I-97 to northbound Veterans Highway just south of its intersection with MD 3 Business. The freeway continues north along the west side of Glen Burnie and meets MD 174 (Quarterfield Road) at a four-ramp partial cloverleaf interchange and MD 100 at a cloverstack interchange that has flyover exit ramps from both directions of I-97.
U.S. Route 97 in Washington
From Maryhill, the road curves northeast and later north to pass Centerville and bypass Goldendale to intersect SR 142. US 97 then turns northeast through Brooks Memorial State Park and entering the Yakama Indian Reservation passes over Satus Pass then coming out of the Cascades into the Yakima Valley passes the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge and Toppenish, where it intersects SR 22 and Fort Road, which was SR 220 until 1991. After leaving Toppenish in a northwestern direction, the highway parallels the Tacoma–Pasco route of the BNSF Railway and the Interstate 82 (I-82) – US 12 concurrency briefly past Wapato and some minor roads to also parallel the Yakima River and enter Union Gap, where the roadway joins the I-82 and US 12 concurrency.
From the interchange in which US 97 joins the I-82 / US 12, numbered exit 37, the freeway interchanges with many minor streets in Union Gap and some major highways, including a state route, in Yakima, including Valley Mall Boulevard at exit 36, SR 24 and Nob Hill Boulevard at exit 34, Terrace Heights Way and Yakima Avenue at exit 33; at exit 31, US 12 ends its long concurrency at the southern terminus of SR 823. After leaving Yakima, the highway enters Selah and interchanges with SR 823 and Rest Haven Road and then later leaves the city after interchanging Selah Road to cross Selah Creek on the Fred G. Redmon Bridge. Approaching Ellensburg, the roadway interchanges with SR 821 at exit 26, Military Road at exit 11 and the northern end of SR 821 at exit 3 before entering Ellensburg. I-82 later ends its concurrency and route at I-90, were a brief concurrency begins.