Delaware 48 constitutes the Lancaster Pike and Lancaster Avenue between Hockessin (junction Delaware 41) and the city of Wilmington. The highway provides the first leg of the route between Wilmington and Lancaster, Pennsylvania between Delaware 41 and the city. Delaware 41 continues from Delaware 48 northwest into Chester County, Pennsylvania en route to U.S. 30 at the town of Gap.

Delaware 48 ends at present near downtown Wilmington at U.S. 13 Business (Walnut Street). Between Delaware 2 (Lincoln & Union Streets) and U.S. 13 Business, the state route splits between the one-way couplet of Lancaster Avenue (eastbound) and Second Street (westbound). Between Maryland Avenue (Delaware 4) and U.S. 13 Business, Delaware 48 eastbound follows Martin Luther King Boulevard, an urban gateway into the central business district.

Historically Delaware 48 continued eastward from central Wilmington across the Christina River via Fourth Street. From there the state route entered the Southbridge section of the city en route to Christina Avenue. The north-south street carried Delaware 48 from U.S. 13 eastward to the Penns Grove-Wilmington Ferry landing on the Christina River itself. The ferry carried vehicles east across the Delaware River to Penns Grove, New Jersey and New Jersey 48. Hence the numbering convention of Delaware 48 adheres to a Garden State numbering concept. Delaware 48 & New Jersey 48 date as far back as 1938.

Delaware 48 Mileage Table

Delaware 48 2002 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

• 10,777 - Delaware 41 to Road 276
• 24,560 - Centerville Road - Delaware 141
• 23,064 - Delaware 100/S. Dupont Road - Greenhill Avenue
• 13,009 - Greenhill Avenue to Delaware 2 west/Union Street
• 27,545 - Adams Street - Delaware 4/Maryland Avenue

Delaware 48 Terminus Collection

Western terminus
	Delaware 48 (Lancaster Pike) westbound at junction Delaware 41 (Newport Gap Pike) near the community of Brackenville. The intersection between the two state routes is configured in a wishbone format. Photo taken 04/22/04.
	The northbound Delaware 41 shield erroneously coincides with a westbound Delaware 48 shield at the Lancaster Pike merge onto the Newport Gap Pike. The westbound shield should display "END" instead. Photo taken 04/22/04.
	What would an intersection between two state highways in Delaware be without a traffic light. Surely a yield sign could work here but instead a traffic light governs the merge of Delaware 48 westbound traffic onto Delaware 41 north. Ahead are the intersections with Brackenville Road, Yorklyn Road, and Valley Road. Photo taken 04/22/04.
	Traveling Delaware 41 (Lancaster Pike) southbound at the split with Delaware 48 (Lancaster Pike) east. The intersection between the two routes was considered innovative at the times of its completion in the 1920s. Photo taken 04/22/04.
	Delaware 41 (Newport Gap Pike) veers southward toward Prices Corner and junction Delaware 2 (Kirkwood Highway). Forthcoming are the intersections with McKennans Church Road, Mill Creek Road, Delaware 34 (Faulkland Road), and Milltown Road. These roads compose some of the secondary through routes throughout the Pike Creek Valley. Photo taken 04/22/04.
	The eastbound beginning of Delaware 48 (Lancaster Pike). A traffic light governs the movements between Delaware 41 north through the Delaware 48 crossover. Ahead are the intersections with Loveville Road, Hercules Road, Centreville Road, and Delaware 100 & 141 (Centre Road). Photo taken 04/22/04.
	Nearing the merge with Delaware 48 west (Lancaster Pike) on Delaware 41 north near Brackenville. Delaware 48 and 41 combine on the approach to Hockessin and the Pennsylvania state line. Delaware 41 shuttles Newport and Interstate 95 traffic northward as Delaware 48 brings traffic onto Newport Gap Pike from Wilmington. Photo taken 04/23/04.
	Although the movement between Delaware 41 north to Delaware 48 east results in a complete turnaround, its available at the western terminus of Delaware 48. Delaware 41 (Newport Gap Pike) widens briefly to two lanes to allows cars to overtake slower moving trucks. Delaware 41 represents a busy trucking corridor between here and U.S. 30 at the town of Gap, Pennsylvania. Photo taken 04/23/04.
Eastern Terminus
	Front Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard diverge at French Street one block west of Walnut Street. French Street itself ends one block in either direction at Second Street (Delaware 48 west) and the Wilmington Train Station parking area respectively. Delaware 48 draws to a close at the signal in the background. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	The first westbound reassurance shield for Delaware 48. Posted between French Street and U.S. 13 Business south (King Street), Second Street carries three overall lanes between Walnut Street and the U.S. 13 Business southbound split from King Street at Martin Luther King Boulevard. The left-hand lane allows traffic to use Martin Luther King Boulevard for the Interstate 95 access ramps. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	The aforementioned sign bridges forewarned motorists of the four lane split at the Amtrak Railroad overcrossing. The left-hand lane turns onto 2nd Street (Delaware 48) beyond the crossing. The secondhand lane allows drivers to use either Delaware 48 west or Walnut Street north. The right-hand lanes continue U.S. 13 Business northward into the central business district. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	U.S. 13 Business (Walnut Street) intersects Front Street (Delaware 48 east) at the Amtrak Wilmington Train Station. Riders can use Amtrak to travel all across the country or ride the SEPTA (Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority) regional rail (R2 Line) northward into Philadelphia from the station. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	Interstate 95 trailblazer posted between Front and Second Streets on Walnut Street northbound. Delaware 48 intersects the westbound beginning of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in two blocks. From there the boulevard bisects the block between Front and Second Streets to provide a direct ramp connection with the north-south freeway. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	U.S. 13 Business (Walnut Street) northbound at the westbound beginning of Delaware 48 (Second Street). Traffic from Delaware 48 eastbound (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) merges onto Walnut Street at the same intersection. U.S. 13 Business northbound reduces to three overall lanes at Second Street. Photo taken 03/30/04.

Delaware 48 Guides

• Delaware 48 Eastbound
• Delaware 48 Westbound

Delaware 48 Offsite Links

• Delaware Roads - DE 48 (Steve Alpert)
• New Jersey 48 Ends (Chris Mason)

Page Updated June 23, 2004