The first incantation of Delaware 4 dates as far back as at least 1938. That route traveled between the Maryland state line to Middletown and Odessa via the current routing of Delaware 299. That entailed Middletown Warwick Road, Main Street, Middletown Odessa Road, and Old State Road. Delaware 4 became Delaware 299 in 1959. Sometime during the 1960s Delaware 4 was rechristened between Newark and Wilmington between Delaware 2 and Interstate 95.

Delaware 4 began at the Maryland state line via Chestnut Hill Road to the southwest of Newark. In 1985 the Christina Parkway opened between Elkton Road (Delaware 2 & 2 Business) and Chestnut Hill Road near South College Avenue (Delaware 896). Upon completion of the east-west roadway Delaware 4 saw relocation from Chestnut Hill Road west of South College Avenue to Christina Parkway west to Elkton Road. The alignment remains the same today.

Delaware 4 originally followed Chestnut Hill Road east from the Maryland state line through south Newark. The state route now follows Christina Parkway with Delaware 2 & 896 from Chestnut Hill Road to Elkton Road. Map created by Kelly Krapp (October 2007).

Delaware 2 also saw realignment within Newark and now overlaps with Delaware 4 between Elkton Road and South Chapel Street (Delaware 72). From there the state highway traveled eastward from Newark to Ogletown and junction Delaware 273 (Newark Ogletown Road). There a brief overlap between the two highways occurred in Ogletown until 1997 when a new alignment of Delaware 273 opened allowing for a partial interchange at the former overlap. 2.6 miles east of there Delaware 4 joins Delaware 7 (Stanton Christiana Road) in what is now referred to as Churchman's Crossing.

Delaware 4 & 7 share 1.2 miles of pavement along Stanton Christiana Road. An old segment of Delaware 4 & 7 parallels the current six-lane divided highway to the east. Along that alignment is an abandoned concrete arch bridge over the White Clay Creek. At Stanton itself Delaware 7 turns northward via Limestone Road and Delaware 4 splits between the one-way couplet of Main Street (westbound) and Mitch Road (eastbound).

Delaware 4 becomes the four-lane Newport Pike between Stanton and the town of Newport. The east-west roadway travels through downtown Newport between the one-way couplet of Market Street (eastbound) and Justis Street (westbound). Ramps link Delaware 4 with the Delaware 141 Newport Freeway above in the heart of town. Delaware 4 merges again two blocks east of Marshall Street and the northbound ramps to/from Delaware 141.

East of Newport Delaware 4 again is named the Newport Pike. The landscape is more or less the same as it was between Stanton and Newport as it is between Newport and Wilmington. The exception is that Banning Park lines along eastbound between Forest Drive and Delaware 62 (Boxwood Road) and Canby Park lines westbound between Delaware 100 (Dupont Road) and Robinson Lane. Newport Pike becomes Maryland Avenue at the intersection of Boxwood and Middleboro Roads. The subdivisions east of there are collectively known as the community of Richardson Park. Many of the homes found here were built in the post World War II era.

The final stretch of Delaware 4 (Maryland Avenue) takes the state route into the city limits of Wilmington. Maryland Avenue crosses the city line at Broom Street into the Browntown neighborhood of the city. The area is rich in Polish heritage between the city line and the Interstate 95 viaduct at Adams & Jackson Streets. Delaware 4 varies between two and four lanes on the descent toward downtown depending on time of day. During the peak hours of traffic four lanes are available. However during non-peak hours the outside lanes become spaces for on street parking.

The last two blocks of Delaware 4 split between Maryland Avenue (eastbound) and Monroe Street (westbound). Maryland Avenue merges with Lancaster Avenue (Delaware 48 east) to form the eastbound direction of Martin Luther King Boulevard. The westbound beginning of Delaware 4 occurs at the Second Street (Delaware 48 west) intersection with Monroe Street one block west and north of the east end.

Delaware 4 Mileage Table

Delaware 4 2002 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

• 23,565 - Delaware 2/Elkton Road to West Newark Limits
• 31,363 - Old Newark Road to Delaware 273
• 37,819 - @ Delaware 273 interchange
• 55,985 - Delaware 7 overlap
• 27,908 - @ Delaware 141/Newport
• 19,370 - Delaware 62/Boxwood Road to Delaware 100/S. Dupont Road
• 12,370 - Interstate 95 to Delaware 48/Front Street

Delaware 4 Terminus Collection

Western Terminus
Perspective from Delaware 2-4 west & 896 north
	Descending toward the western terminus of Delaware 4 and Christina Parkway on Delaware 2 west & 896 north. Christina Parkway widens to four lanes before ending at Elkton Road ahead. Delaware 2 Business begins to the right and travels into downtown Newark with Delaware 896 north. Photo taken 04/30/04.
	Delaware 2 westbound returns to its original alignment on Elkton Road for the one-mile drive into the state of Maryland. The state route becomes Maryland 279 at the border and intersects the Exit 109 interchange of Interstate 95 one mile south of there. An access road continues northward from Christina Parkway to Suburban Plaza Shopping Center. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Perspective from Delaware 2 east
	Eastbound Delaware 2 (Elkton Road) at the western terminus of Delaware 4 and merge with Delaware 896 (Christina Parkway). Delaware 2 turns eastward along Christina Parkway with Delaware 4 east & 896 southbound to bypass central Newark. Elkton Road continues eastward into downtown carrying Delaware 2 Business & 896. Photo taken 03/28/04.
Eastern Terminus
Perspective from Delaware 4 east
	Delaware 4 eastbound (Maryland Avenue) splits with Delaware 4 westbound (Monroe Street) one block before concluding at Delaware 48 (Martin Luther King Boulevard). A sign bridge resides over Maryland Avenue for the pending junction with Delaware 48 east and Madison Street northbound. The guide signs exist for drivers departing the Exit 6 off-ramp of Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 northbound onto Maryland Avenue. In the background are the Martin Luther King Boulevard westbound access ramps to Interstate 95. Photo taken 03/21/04.
Perspective from Delaware 48 east
	The eastern terminus of Delaware 4 (Maryland Avenue) as seen from Delaware 48 (Lancaster Avenue) eastbound. To the left is Madison Street northbound and the beginning of the Martin Luther King Boulevard westbound flyover ramps to Interstate 95. Ahead Delaware 48 becomes the six-lane Martin Luther King Boulevard into downtown. Photo taken 03/21/04.
Perspective from Delaware 48 west
	The westbound beginning of Delaware 4 departs Delaware 48 (Second Street) westbound via Monroe Street at the Adams Four Shopping Plaza. Delaware 4 westbound merges with eastbound at Maryland Avenue two blocks to the south. Maryland Avenue provides the main route through the Browntown section of the city. Photo taken 03/21/04.

Delaware 4 Highway Guides

• Delaware 4 Eastbound
• Delaware 4 Westbound

Delaware 4 Offsite Links

• Delaware Roads - DE 4 (Steve Alpert)
• Delaware 4 @ OKRoads.com (Eric Stuve)

Page Updated October 25, 2005.