Delaware 1 was commissioned in the 1970s and replaced Delaware 14 from Milford to Fenwick Island. The state route constitutes a four to six lane divided highway from Milford southward to the Maryland state line at Ocean City. An expressway bypass shuttles traffic around Milford. Interchanges exist with U.S. 113 & Delaware 1 Business, Delaware 36, and Delaware 1 Business again. DelDOT maintains a substantial right of way between Dover A.F.B. and Five Points for possible upgrades to partial or full limited access standards. An interchange is already planned for the intersection of Thompsonville Road with construction beginning as soon as 2010.
Delaware 1 within the Milford area. A bypass is considered for either west of Milford from the Thompsonville Road interchange to U.S. 113 south of the city or between Delaware 1 near Delaware 30 to U.S. 113 south of the city. Milford is served by the only Business Loop of Delaware 1. Map created by Kelly Krapp (October 2007).
Additionally upgrades along Delaware 1 between Dover and Milford include the building of interchanges at Little Heaven where old U.S. 113 Alternate (Clapham Road) ties in and at the traffic light with Bowers Beach Road. Frontage roads will be constructed along side the new expressway alignments at Little Heaven.1 Work may begin in 2010 on the project. See DelDOT's page for more details.
Delaware 1 provides the primary route between the Delaware coastal resort towns and the rest of the state. With the completion of the SR 1 Turnpike, Delaware 1 is prominently showcased by the state and Department of Transportation as the way to the beach. From Dover Air Force Base southward the highway is at-grade with intersections and cross traffic. Between Five Points and Dewey Beach the route is subject to 25-40 mph speed limits. The slower speed limits accompany heavy development and numerous traffic lights. South of Dewey Beach Delaware 1 travels through Delaware Seashore State Park. The scenic stretch carries four lanes and a 50 mph speed limit with a grassy median. Along the drive between Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach is the Indian River Inlet Bridge. The four lane crossing bridges the gap between the Atlantic Ocean and Indian River Bay. Proposals are underway to replace the bridge with an arch or cable stayed structure.
Reconstruction of Delaware 1 is underway between U.S. 9 at Five Points and junction Delaware 24 west of Rehoboth Beach. Crews are expanding the roadway to three overall southbound lanes with the addition of a continuous right-hand turn lanes and pedestrian traffic enhancements. More details can be found at DelDOT's project webpage.
Situated near the Delaware 1 corridor from Five Points eastward is the Western Parkway project. This proposal involves constructing a new controlled-access roadway to serve local traffic needs independently of Delaware 1 west of Plantation Road. Interchanges would be built at U.S. 9 and access would only be granted via existing roads. More on the project exists at DelDOT's webpage.
Regarding the Indian River replacement project, originally the state sought an arch bridge design with no supports in the waterway below. That idea became cost prohibitive and so officials revisited the idea and now endorse the construction of a cable-stayed bridge for the four-lane highway. Money however is still not available for the costly project, so Delaware 1 continues to use the older concrete bridge at Indian River Inlet. See DelDOT's webpage on the project for updates.
Delaware 1 Highway Guides
Delaware 1 Mileage Table
| Southern terminus |
Northern terminus |
Names |
Mileage |
Maryland state line
(Ocean City - Maryland 528) |
Delaware 7 & 58 - Churchman's Crossing |
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway,
Bay Road, South Dupont Blvd, Ocean Hwy |
103* |
* - estimate |
Delaware 1 2002 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
- 10,333 - Maryland state line to south Fenwick Island limits
- 21,608 - @ Bethany
- 18,319 - Delaware 26 to north Bethany Beach limits
- 13,137 - Indian River Inlet to south Dewey Beach limits
- 58,330 - Delaware 24 - U.S. 9/Five Points
- 21,138 - Business Delaware 1 - Delaware 36 (Milford Bypass)
- 18,354 - Kent/Sussex County line to U.S. 113
- 30,446 - Milford Bypass/U.S. 113 to Road 10/Frederica
- 26,583 - Road 357 to Delaware 10
Delaware 1 Terminus Collection
| Southern Terminus - Maryland state line (Maryland 528) - Ocean City
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| Delaware/Maryland state line sign posted at the transition of Maryland 528 into Delaware 1. The communities of Fenwick Island and Bethany Beach lie ahead. Photo taken by Chris Jordan 10/99.
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| Welcome signs for the state of Delaware at the beginning of Delaware 1 northbound. The divided highway straddles the coastline between Ocean City, Maryland and Dewey Beach, Delaware. Photo taken by Chris Jordan 10/99.
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| Maryland and Ocean City Welcome signs at the transition from Delaware 1 to Maryland 528. Maryland 528 is the main north-south drag through the Ocean City resort area. The highway links Delaware 1 with Maryland 90 (Ocean City Expressway) and U.S. 50. Photo taken by Chris Jordan 10/99.
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| Northern Terminus - Delaware 7 & 58 - Churchman's Crossing
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| Perspective from Delaware 1 & 7 northbound
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| Delaware 1 & 7 northbound depart the Interstate 95 cloverleaf interchange and enter the Exit 166 junction with Delaware 58 (Churchman's Road). The auxiliary lane gained from the Interstate 95 north to Delaware 1 & 7 northbound ramp becomes exit-only for Churchman's Road. The Delaware 1 & 7 overpass over Delaware 58 was complete by late 1998. Photo taken 04/03/04.
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| A cloverleaf ramp facilitates the movements from Delaware 1 & 7 northbound onto Delaware 58 (Churchman's Road). What was previous a heavily congested intersection was upgraded to a partial-cloverleaf interchange between 1996 and 1999. Upon the opening of this interchange Delaware 1 saw extension from just south of Interstate 95 to this location. Photo taken 04/03/04.
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| For a period of time an end sign was in place for Delaware 1 at the Delaware 58 under crossing. The sign saw installation June of 2000 but was removed by March of 2004. The original end sign was posted just south of the Exit 165B ramp to Interstate 95 north. That assembly too is no longer in place. Photo taken 07/01/00.
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| The SR 1 Turnpike draws to a close at the descent from the Exit 166 interchange. Delaware 7 continues northward with six lanes through the Stanton community to Delaware 4. Six sets of traffic lights accompany the next mile of pavement. Delaware 4 eastbound merges with Delaware 7 northbound at the second signal. Photo taken 04/03/04.
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| Delaware 7 returns to grade and intersects the frontage road AAA Boulevard and old Delaware 7. AAA Boulevard extends the frontage road from Delaware 58 and Delaware Technical Community College northward to Delaware 7. To the left is access to old Delaware 7. Photo taken 03/23/04.
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| Perspective from Delaware 1 & 7 southbound
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| Delaware 7 southbound approaching the transition into the Delaware 1 freeway at Churchman's Crossing. The upcoming traffic signal de marks the north end of the SR 1 Turnpike. To the left is AAA Boulevard, a frontage road that connects Delaware 7 with Delaware Technical and Community College. To the right is a second frontage road that serves local businesses along the original Delaware 7. Photo taken 05/20/07.
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| Delaware 7 consists of six lanes between Stanton and the merge with Delaware 4 southward to the SR 1 Turnpike. A diagrammatical overhead is in place at the beginning of the Delaware 1 freeway directing motorists to Exit 166 and Interstate 95 (Exits 165A/B). At present Delaware 1 & 7 carry only four lanes southward through the Interstate 95 and Mall Road interchanges. Photo taken 05/20/07.
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| A pair of lanes depart Delaware 1 & 7 southbound for the Exit 166 ramp to Delaware 58 (Churchman's Road). Delaware 58 composes a busy east-west arterial between Interstate 95 and Delaware 4 at Delaware Park. The divided highway is also home to the nearby Christiana Hospital. All traffic interests to Interstate 95 are also directed onto the Exit 166 ramp. Currently the mainline of Delaware 1 & 7 southbound is segregated from the Interstate 95 ramps via a temporary concrete barrier. The barrier in effect creates a collector/distributor roadway out of the former right-hand lane of Delaware 1 & 7 south. Photo taken 05/20/07.
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| Traffic to Interstate 95 continues through the intersection with Delaware 58 (Churchman's Road) and onto the Delaware 1 & 7 c/d roadway for Exits 165A/B. A permanent ramp for Interstate 95 southbound directly from Delaware 1 & 7 is planned for the future when traffic counts warrant it. The May 2004 decision to upgrade the current Delaware 1 & 7 interchange will see a new flyover constructed to handle the Interstate 95 south to Delaware 1 southbound movement. Upon completion of this, the concrete barrier currently in place along Delaware 1 & 7 southbound underneath Interstate 95 will no longer be needed and traffic to Exit 165B (Interstate 95 northbound) will no longer have to utilize Exit 166. Photo taken 05/20/07.
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| In the month of June 2000 an "Begin Delaware 1" sign was installed in the median of the Delaware 1 & 7 mainline above Delaware 58. The sign was meant to replace an older begin shield posted between Interstate 95 and the Mall Road overpass. However as of 2004, neither begin sign remain in place. Photo taken 07/01/00.
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Sources:
- Bob Chessick, email: "RE: DelDOT Signage and Realignments." May 11, 2007.
Delaware 1 Other Highway Sites
Page Updated October 13, 2007
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