Delaware 273 Guide - Highway Guides for Delaware Interstates - U.S. Routes - State Routes

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The Guide to Delaware 273 Westbound in Delaware

Westbound

Delaware 273 Westbound
Town of New Castle
Delaware 9 south & 273 join together for 0.8 miles between the east end of Delaware 273 to junction Delaware 141 (Basin Road) & Washington Avenue. Delaware 9 turns southward back into town via Washington Avenue and West Seventh Street to the left before departing New Castle by way of River Road. Photo taken 04/10/04.
Westbound on Delaware Avenue (Delaware 9 south & 273 west) on the approach to the south end of Delaware 141 (Basin Road) and Delaware 9 & 273 split. The scene here drastically changed in 1994 with the removal of a railroad underpass along Delaware Avenue over the abandoned Conrail tracks. Crews removed the span and reconstructed Delaware Avenue as a surface roadway with full shoulders. Photo taken 04/10/04.
Delaware 9 south & 273 west expand as they enter the confluence of Delaware 141 (Basin Road), Washington Avenue (Delaware 9 south) and Frenchtown Road (Delaware 273 west). Delaware 141 northbound travels to Basin Corner (junction U.S. 13-40-202). Delaware 273 west continues to Hares Corner (junction U.S. 13 & 40). Photo taken 04/10/04.
Delaware 273 westbound continues straight through the Basin Road & Washington Avenue intersection to Hares Corner and junction U.S. 13 & 40 (Dupont Highway). Delaware 141 follows Basin Road 1.2 miles northward to the cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 13 & 40 and U.S. 202's southern terminus. Basin Road constitutes a four-lane arterial between New Castle and the Newport Freeway. Photo taken 04/10/04.
County of New Castle
Delaware 273 (Frenchtown Road) westbound as it leaves Delaware 9 and Delaware 141 (Basin Road). A Delaware 9 Truck sign coincides with the route to carry trucks westward to Hares Corner (U.S. 13 & 40). From there trucks are routed southward along the Dupont Highway to Federal Lane. Federal Lane returns the truck route to Delaware 9 (River Road) east of Tybouts Corner. Photo taken 04/03/04.
Westbound reassurance shield on the Frenchtown Road stretch between Basin Road and Centerpoint Boulevard. While initially rural in character, Delaware 273 becomes developed with industrial parks and the New Castle County Farmer's Market and outdoor flea market as it nears Hares Corner. Photo taken 04/10/04.
Delaware 273 transitions from Frenchtown Road to Christiana Road as it crosses U.S. 13 & 40 (Dupont Highway) at Hares Corner. The roadway expands from a two-lane roadway into a four-lane arterial between Dupont Highway and the city of Newark. Photo taken 03/20/04.

The westbound beginning of Delaware 58 as seen from Delaware 273 (Christiana Road) westbound. Delaware 58 travels northwest from the Hares Corner area three miles to Churchman's Crossing. There the route interchanges with Delaware 1 & 7 before ending a mile later at Delaware 4 (Ogletown Stanton Road) and the main entrance to the Delaware Park Race Track and Slots facility. Photo taken 03/20/04.
Delaware 273 (Christiana Road) leaves the intersection with Delaware 37 (Airport Road) and ascends to Appleton Road. The four-lane segment of Christiana Road was widened in 1996. The construction project resulted in the installation of freeway style lighting over the surface arterial. Appleton Road stems southward from Delaware 273 to U.S. 40 (Pulaski Highway) east of Bear. Photo taken 09/25/04.
Delaware 273 westbound at the diamond interchange with Delaware 1. A new overhead attaches to the northbound overpass for Delaware 1 southbound to Dover and U.S. 13. Delaware 1 provides a four-lane freeway between U.S. 13 at Tybouts Corner and Interstate 95 at Churchman's Crossing. Photo taken 09/25/04.
Delaware 1 southbound shield pointing to the Delaware 273 on-ramp to the freeway. Three signalized intersections face Delaware 273 drivers in quick succession. The first two handle the Delaware 1 on and off-ramps. The third (pictured in the background) governs the junction of Delaware 273 with Delaware 7 (Bear Christiana Road). Photo taken 09/25/04.
Shifting focus from Hares Corner to the University Plaza area of east Newark on Delaware 273 near Chapman Road. The directional cloverleaf interchange between the state route and Delaware Turnpike resides between Chapman Road and Harmony Road northwest of Christiana. Photo taken 03/27/04.
The northbound on-ramp to Interstate 95 departs Delaware 273 (Christiana Road) westbound. The Delaware Turnpike interchanges with Delaware 1 & 7 (Exit 4A/B) in 0.75 miles and Interstate 295 in three miles. Signs were replaced at this sign bridge in 2006. Photos taken 03/27/04 & 12/29/07.
One of two cloverleaf ramps remaining at the Delaware 273 and Interstate 95 junction carries westbound traffic onto the Delaware Turnpike southbound. Bridge rehabilitation took place between 2000 and 2004 on the four bridges associated with the interchange. The flyovers that carry Interstate 95 southbound to Delaware 273 eastbound and Delaware 273 eastbound to Interstate 95 northbound were added to the junction in 1979. Note the carbon copy sign replacement by 2007 that still references the southbound ramp as toll. Photos taken 03/27/04 & 12/18/07.
The traffic light with Harmony Road adjacent to the Interstate 95 interchange often bleeds traffic onto the southbound off-ramp to Delaware 273 west. Harmony Road is a busy north-south roadway between Delaware 273 and Delaware 4 (Chestnut Hill Road), Christiana Hospital, and Delaware 2 (Kirkwood Highway). Despite the addition of traffic calming devices between Christiana Road and Chestnut Hill Road, the two-lane road retains a fair amount of traffic as a commuter route. Photo taken 03/27/04.
The relocation of Delaware 273 onto a new four-lane expressway above Delaware 4 resulted in the creation of Cedarwood Road along the former alignment to Chestnut Hill Road. The former four-lane roadway now carries two lanes between the Cedarwood Apartments and Delaware 4 itself. Otherwise a westbound off-ramp begins the access road to carry traffic to Delaware 4. The "Local Traffic Only" placard is invalid as full access to Delaware 4 is granted to Cedarwood Road. How else would residents of the apartment go anywhere? Photo taken 03/27/04.
A second off-ramp to Delaware 4 leaves Delaware 273 in the form of a loop ramp. The curved roadway intersects Chestnut Hill Road across from the end of Cedarwood Road. Otherwise Delaware 4 traverses the MBNA Ogletown campus between Salem Church Road and Cheswold Boulevard. Traffic bound for Salem Church Road must use this ramp as no left-hand turns are permitted at the upcoming intersection with the road. Photo taken 03/27/04.
Salem Church Road continued northward of Delaware 4 over the original Ogletown Road to Delaware 273 as a new access road. The intersection between the two highways provides all movements except for Delaware 273 westbound to Salem Church Road southbound. The north-south road otherwise constitutes a busy route between Old Baltimore Pike and Chapman Road to Ogletown. Photo taken 03/27/04.
The 1997-opened alignment of Delaware 273 (Newark Christiana Road) passes between Ogletown Road (old Delaware 273) and Red Mill Road. The four-lane expressway traverses what was wetlands associated with the White Clay Creek watershed. These marshy areas almost resulted in the cancellation of the project and the abandonment of the overpasses at Delaware 4. A compromise was struck with the creation of new wetlands areas at the intersection of Salem Church Road and Old Baltimore Pike to augment the filling of the wetlands here. Pictured here is the Bala Road connector between old Delaware 273 and Red Mill Road. Red Mill Road, like Harmony Road to the east, provides a commuter route between Delaware 4 and Delaware 2. The road however became discontinuous between Ruthar Drive and Delaware 4 due to the construction of the partial-cloverleaf interchange of Delaware 273. Photo taken 03/27/04.
Delaware 273 sweeps westward over the AMTRAK Northeastern Corridor between Bala Road and Ruthar Drive. Ruthar Drive originally only traveled between Harmony and Red Mill Roads through an industrial park. The two-lane road saw extension to Delaware 273 to provide an alternate route to Newark from Red Mill Road via Delaware 273. Photo taken 03/27/04.
West of Ruthar Drive at the first of two plant entrances for nearby industrial sites. Delaware 273 maintains four overall lanes and a grassy median through to Marrows Road at Newark. The roadway however features three traffic lights along the stretch but has a 50 MPH speed limit. Widening of this segment occurred by 1998. Photo taken 03/27/04.
City of Newark
The beginning of East Main Street sees Delaware 2 Business begin and Delaware 273 split between separate east and westbound components. Delaware 273 eastbound follows Delaware Avenue south of Main Street. Traffic merges in from the Kirkwood Highway (Delaware 2 west & 72 south) from the right. Photo taken 03/27/04.
Soon after the merge of traffic from Kirkwood Highway onto East Main Street is a traffic light at a pedestrian crossing. Delaware 2 Business & 273 overlap from Library Avenue (Delaware 2 & 72) westward to Elkton Road. Photo taken 03/27/04.
East Main Street at Tyre Avenue. Tyre Avenue is a short north-south street between Delaware Avenue (Delaware 2 Business & 273 east) and Delaware 2 Business & 273 west. The intersection was a three-way affair until 1999 when the Market East Plaza opened to the right. Photo taken 03/27/04.
Older reassurance shield assembly on East Main Street westbound at the Newark Shopping Center. The practice of using 2di-sized shields for Delaware 273 and other state routes was abandoned by the 1980s. The shield assembly here in fact was removed completely between 2000 and 2004. Photo taken 07/00.
Delaware 2 Business & 273 westbound (East Main Street) enter the central business district of Newark at the intersection with Chapel Street. Chapel Street carried Delaware 72 until 1972 when the AMTRAK crossing south of East Park Place was removed. Chapel Street still carries a fair amount of traffic between Wyoming Road and Cleveland Avenue through central Newark. The street becomes Paper Mill Road north of Cleveland Avenue. Photo taken 03/27/04.
West Main Street at the north end of Academy Street in downtown Newark. Academy Street carries two-way traffic between Delaware 2 Business & 273 west southward to Lewis Park adjacent to the AMTRAK line. A pair of ground level signals faces north for the exit of a nearby Newark Public Parking lot. Photo taken 03/27/04.
The main crosswalk across West Main Street exists between Academy Street and South College Avenue at the Main Street Galleria. For many years a pair of yellow flashers cautioned motorists of the pedestrian crossing. In the Winter of 2004 the flashers were upgraded to traffic signals. The signals were newly installed and still in a caution phase at the time of this photograph. Photo taken 03/27/04.
West Main Street bisects the University of Delaware main campus in the vicinity of College Avenue and New London Road. In the middle of the area is the Delaware 896 northbound merge onto Delaware 2 Business & 273 westbound. Span wire supported guide signs are posted at the intersection directing Delaware 2 Business-273-896 respectively. Photo taken 07/00.
A revisit to the intersection seven years later reveals that the signs remain unchanged. The right-hand panel remains in use from the 1970s for Delaware 273 west & 896 north. The center and left-hand signs are replacements of the originals for when Delaware 896 saw relocation from South College Avenue onto Christina Parkway (Delaware 4) and Elkton Road (Delaware 2 Business) in the 1980s. The center panel still reflects the Delaware 2 mainline and not the business route that came into existence around 1990. Photo taken 05/21/07.
The traffic signal at South College Avenue (Delaware 896 northbound) ties into the adjacent south end of North College Avenue. A mast arm and 3M signals are posted for the intersection and associated crosswalk. North College Avenue leaves West Main Street northward to Cleveland Avenue and White Clay Creek State Park by way of Creek Road. Photo taken 03/27/04.
A three-way split occurs at the west end of downtown where Delaware 2 Business joins Delaware 273 east & 896 south on Elkton Road. Delaware 273 westbound continues West Main Street along the middle prong. To the right Delaware 896 northbound travels New London Road toward the Maryland and Pennsylvania state lines. The CSX Railroad line crosses both West Main Street and New London Road just north of the partition. Photo taken 03/27/04.
Closer look at the Delaware 273 west and Delaware 896 north shield assembly at the New London Road split from West Main Street. New London Road flows northbound only between West Main Street and Cleveland Avenue. The state park sign refers to White Clay Creek State Park north of the city. Photo taken 05/21/07.
One block north of the CSX Railroad crossing is the signalized intersection with Hillside Road west and Cleveland Avenue east. Cleveland Avenue constitutes a busy through route between West Main Street and Delaware 2 & 72 (Kirkwood Highway) for interests to Maryland 273. Hillside Road continues Cleveland Avenue to Barksdale Road and Cecil County, Maryland. Photo taken 05/21/07.
Delaware 273 sinks in a valley and intersects Casho Mill Road in northwest Newark. Casho Mill Road provides a through route southward to Barksdale Road and junction Delaware 2 Business & 896 (Elkton Road). Delrem Drive ties in from the north, serving the Fairfield neighborhood with a connection to Delaware 896 (New London Road) via Windsor and Country Club Drives. Photo taken 12/21/07.
Scenes pertaining to Delaware 273
Old Baltimore Pike westbound approaching Delaware 273 west of Christiana. In the mid 1980s Delaware 273 saw relocation from Main Street and the village of Christiana onto a four-lane bypass to the west. The bypass remained fairly undeveloped until the late 1990s when a hotel was built at the intersection of Old Baltimore Pike and Delaware 273. Photo taken 03/27/04.
Salem Church Road ends at Delaware 273 (Newark Christiana Road) just north of Delaware 4 (Chestnut Hill Road) at Ogletown. The roadway facilitates the movements between Delaware 4 west to Delaware 273 and Delaware 4 east to Delaware 273 west. Additionally a ramp from Newark Christiana Road eastbound departs at the same location for Delaware 4 and the Salem Church Road itself. The right-hand overhead on the loop ramp between Chestnut Hill Road and Delaware 273 is somewhat erroneous as the sign should not display "TO" next to Delaware 273 but instead next to Interstate 95. Photo taken 03/27/04.
Ruthar Drive saw extension in 1997 to link Red Mill Road with the relocated Delaware 273. The east-west road previously dead ended just west of Red Mill Road. Pictured here is the intersection and shield assembly of Delaware 273 at the west end of Ruthar Drive. The city of Newark resides one mile to the west. Photo taken 08/31/04.

Page Updated December 29, 2007.
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