Delaware 273 continues Maryland 273 (Telegraph Road) into the state via Nottingham Road in northwest Newark. The state route provides a scenic and efficient route between U.S. 1 near Rising Sun, Maryland and the Conowingo Dam to the city of Newark. In Newark, Delaware 273 descends into the Christina River valley to the intersection of Casho Mill Road. The two-lane highway from there ascends and becomes West Main Street at Bent Lane alongside the Newark Country Club grounds. West Main Street merges with Delaware 896 southbound at Hillside Drive for one block before Delaware 273 & 896 turn onto Elkton Road.

A one-way street couplet exists between the West Main Street, Elkton Road, and New London Road intersection at the Deer Park Tavern west of downtown. Delaware 273 joins Delaware 2 Business eastbound along Delaware Avenue through the central business district to Delaware 2 & 72 (Library Avenue). Delaware 2 Business & 273 westbound follow Main Street from Library Avenue and Newark Christiana Road to the West Main Street split with Elkton Road (Delaware 2 Business west) and New London Road (Delaware 896 north). The two-way streets are lined with shops, eateries, book stores, and other college town amenities as they traverse downtown Newark. Both Delaware Avenue and Main Street are slow moving arteries during the afternoon and evening peak hours of traffic as Delaware 273 provides the main route to/from Cecil County to northern Delaware for daily commuters and shoppers alike.

East of Newark, Delaware 273 follows Newark Christiana Road to junction Delaware 4 (Chestnut HIll Road). A partial interchange exists at Chestnut Hill Road and Salem Church Road in Ogletown itself. The project was never shelved in 1992 due to environmental concerns over wetland impacts. A compromise however was achieved with the planting of new wetlands on a tract at the intersection of Salem Church Road and Old Baltimore Pike to replace those removed for the new Delaware 273 alignment. After nearly ten years of debate, delays, and construction, the new alignment and interchange opened to traffic during July of 1997.

For several years a pair of unused overpasses loomed above the congested intersection of Delaware 4 & 273 with Red Mill Road. Delays involving the construction project led locals to dub the crossing "The Bridge to Nowhere". Built in 1989, the bridges would remain unused until 1997. Red Mill Road itself no longer intersects Delaware 4 (Chestnut Hill Road) here either. Image courtesy of Terraserver 1991.

The new alignment of Delaware 273 (Newark Christiana Road) leaves the old alignment (Ogletown Road) just north of the "Avon Underpass" where Ogletown Road passes underneath the AMTRAK Northeastern Corridor. The two-lane narrow under crossing flooded often during heavy rain events and precluded most trucks from using Ogletown Road due to a narrow clearance. It was not uncommon to find a tractor trailer impaled at the crossing due to a misjudgment of the clearance. The widening and construction of a new alignment for Delaware 273 from Library Avenue (Delaware 2 & 72) to the four-lane arterial of Christiana Road (east of Delaware 4) commenced in 1994. By July of 1997 the new expressway between Ogletown Road and Delaware 4 opened to traffic. The four-lane roadway bisects the wetlands of Ogletown Road (old Delaware 273) and Red Mill Road between Delaware 4 & Salem Church Road northward to Ruthar Drive and the AMTRAK corridor. Access roads between Red Mill Road and Ogletown Road (Bala Road, and Ogletown Road and Delaware 273 west of the "Avon Underpass" were built to serve the nearby communities. Additionally Ruthar Drive saw extension west from its end at Red Mill Road to Delaware 273 allowing for an alternate route into the city of Newark from the area. Four-laning of the project from Ruthar Drive west to Delaware 2 & 72 completed by 1998.

Before the 1997 opening of the Delaware 273 expressway above Delaware 4, the state route shared a brief and congested overlap with Delaware 4 through Ogletown. Christiana Road began there as a four-lane arterial between Chestnut Hill Road and Interstate 95 (Exit 3). The divided highway represents the east gateway into the city of Newark via the Delaware Turnpike. Interchange upgrades between Delaware 273 and Interstate 95 occurred in 1979 with the additional of two directional ramps (I-95 south to DE 273 east and DE 273 east to I-95 north). From there Delaware 273 narrowed and traveled through the village of Christiana along Main Street.

In 1986 the new four-lane Christiana Bypass opened to traffic around the village itself. Delaware 273 relocated to the new route leaving Main Street to intersect Delaware 7 by itself in Christiana. The bypass includes an intersection with Main Street, Old Baltimore Pike, and Delaware 7 (Bear Christiana Road). Delaware 273 again narrowed east of Bear Christiana Road through to the eastern terminus at New Castle.

Construction to widen Delaware 273 (Christiana Road) from Delaware 7 to Hares Corner (junction U.S. 13 & 40) began in 1994 and was completed by 1999. With that all of Delaware 273 from Newark to the Dupont Highway is a four-lane arterial with full shoulders. In 1991 a diamond interchange opened along Delaware 273 for the SR 1 Turnpike between Christiana Road and Tybouts Corner (U.S. 13). The exit is very busy nowadays and routine backups along the Delaware 1 southbound off-ramp to Delaware 273 often bleed onto the freeway mainline above. 0.75 miles east of there is junction Delaware 37 (Airport Road). Delaware 273 also intersects the eastern terminus of Delaware 58 (Churchmans Road) between Delaware 1 and Hares Corner. At Hares Corner itself is the cumbersome junction with U.S. 13 & 40 (Dupont Highway) and the New Castle Farmer's Market and outdoor flea market. The runway lights of adjacent New Castle County Airport are lined directly over the crossroads as well.

Delaware 273 follows the two-lane Frenchtown Road between Hares Corner and the town of New Castle. The state route intersects Delaware 9 (Washington Avenue) and south end of Delaware 141 (Basin Road) 1.3 miles east of Dupont Highway. An overlap between Delaware 9 & 273 guides the final 0.8 miles of the highway between Basin Road and East Sixth Street in New Castle itself. Delaware 9 was relocated to this overlap around 1990 to bypass the center of New Castle. Delaware 273 dates to at least 1938 overall.

Delaware 273 Mileage Table

Delaware 273 2002 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

• 8,845 - Maryland state line to west Newark limits
• 32,641 - S. College Avenue to Chapel Street
• 26,740 - east Newark limits to Delaware 4 interchange
• 56,311 - Harmony Road to Interstate 95
• 24,237 - Delaware 7 to Delaware 58/Churchmans Road
• 33,941 - Entrance to Industrial Park to Delaware 141

Delaware 273 Terminus Collection

Western terminus
	Delaware 273 (Nottingham Road) transitions into Maryland 273 beyond the intersection with Wedgewood Road north and Jackson Hall School Road west. Wedgewood Road arcs northward to Delaware 896 (New London Road) at White Clay Creek State Park. Jackson Hall School Road ventures southwest to Appleton Road. A change in pavement represents the state line. Photo taken 12/21/07.
	Nottingham Road (Delaware 273) becomes Telegraph Road (Maryland 273) upon entering Cecil County. Posted just beyond the border is the first westbound reassurance shield of Maryland 273, a welcome to Maryland sign, and Interstate 95 trailblazer directing traffic to Maryland 272. Photo taken 01/00.
	A second look at the first Maryland 273 westbound shield. Note the Interstate 95 trailblazer was removed. Photo taken 12/21/07.
Eastern Terminus
	The final 0.8 miles of Delaware 273 coincides with Delaware 9 along the New Castle town line. The two highways join together at Delaware 141 (Basin Road) as Delaware 9 turns onto Delaware 273 (Delaware Street) from Washington Avenue. The overlap is somewhat unnecessary as Delaware 273 ends along Delaware 9 at the Ferry Cut Off Street intersection with East Sixth Street (old Delaware 9). When Delaware 9 saw relocation to bypass downtown New Castle, the state route joined Delaware 273 rather than truncate it. Photo taken 06/00.
	Delaware 9 turns westward onto Ferry Cut Off and Delaware Streets from East Sixth Street to bypass downtown New Castle. East Sixth Street itself continues southward South Street and the New Castle historic district. Delaware 9 saw relocation from that routing around 1990. Photo taken 04/10/04.
	The rerouting of Delaware 9 from Sixth Street, South Street, and Seventh Street results in an overlap with the westbound beginning of Delaware 273 between Wilmington Road and junction Delaware 141 (Basin Road) and Washington Avenue. The multiplex tallies 0.8 miles. Photo taken 04/10/04.
	Older sign assembly posted along Chestnut Street northbound at Delaware 273's westbound beginning, the intersection of Ferry Cut Off and Sixth Streets. Photo taken 05/15/05.

Delaware 273 Highway Guides

• Delaware 273 Eastbound
• Delaware 273 Westbound

Offsite Links

• Delaware Roads - DE 273/Bus. 2/Old 896 (Steve Alpert)
• Maryland 273 & MDRoads.com

Page Updated December 21, 2007