Delaware & Maryland 404 provide the preferred East-West beach route in southern Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and U.S. 50 to the Delaware coastal resort communities. Out of convenient to beach goers, the designation extends along Delaware 18 and U.S. 9 to Delaware 1 to guide travelers from Wye Mills, Maryland to Five Points. The numbering in Delaware originates from the Maryland 404 designation and thus is an import. During the 1980s a proposal was turned back involving the construction of a limited access highway along the Delaware 404 corridor. A citizens group "Save Our Sussex County" formed a staunch opposition to this proposal and it was thus cancelled. Minor improvements such as the creation of a new Delaware 404 alignment north of Bridgeville and U.S. 9 Truck around Georgetown were built instead.
The proposal for an east-west freeway in Sussex County reemerged in 2004. The House Transportation Committee asked DelDOT to undertake a feasibility study for a new roadway on June 2, 2004. Rep. Gerald W. Hocker, R-Ocean View brought up the late 1970s feasibility study that determined a route at a cost of $500 per acre. It was thought at the time to be too costly and nothing ever came of it. Since then Sussex County has undergone an enormous growth in both population and appeal as a tourist destination. The population figures are expected to grow another 33% over the next 10 years. Thus Hocker and Sen. George H. Bunting Jr., D-Bethany Beach sponsored the resolution to do something about the growing traffic woes now before additional congestion ensues.1
Delaware 404 represents the second highest route number in the state. Until the late 1980s, Delaware 404 comprised an 11-mile routing between the Maryland state line west of Adams Crossroads to Delaware 18 southeast of Bridgeville. The alignment remained unchanged from 1938 until 1999 when the construction of Newton Road resulted in a realignment of the mainline north of Bridgeville and east of Bridgeville along an overlap with U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway).
Delaware 404 follows the Seashore Highway southeastward from the state line to Newton Road (former Delaware 404 Alternate). A 2.5-mile overlap with U.S. 13 brings Delaware 404 southward back to the Seashore Highway east of Bridgeville. Delaware 404 Business continues the Seashore Highway into Bridgeville where it turns onto Market Street and Main Street (U.S. 13 Business). Where Delaware 404 Business ends, Delaware 404 resumes its eastward course on the Seashore Highway. 1.7 miles southeast of U.S. 13 is the historic eastern terminus at Delaware 18 (Bowdens Garage Road). From there Delaware 18 & 404 join together on the Seashore Highway to Georgetown and junction U.S. 9. Delaware 18 ends at U.S. 9 and Delaware 404 joins U.S. 9. 12 miles later, Delaware 404 draws to a close at the U.S. 9 junction with Delaware 1 at Five Points.
Delaware 404 Mileage Table
| Southern terminus |
Northern terminus |
Names |
Mileage |
| Maryland state line (Maryland 404) |
U.S. 9 & Delaware 1 - Five Points |
Seashore Highway, Newton Road, Dupont Highway, Bedford Street, Market Street |
33.93* |
| * - The 2002 Traffic County Report by DelDOT still factors the Business Delaware 404 routing into the overall Delaware 404 routing. Thus the mileage figure below does not include the 4.74-mile Delaware 404 Alternate alignment that the mainline overtook. |
Delaware 404 2002 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
- 8,805 - Maryland state line to Road 32
- 5,880 - Delaware 404 Business to Road 583
- 1,300 - Road 582 to Road 583
- 24,124 - U.S. 13 Alternate to Delaware 404 (U.S. 13 overlap)
- 11,056 - northwest Georgetown limits to U.S. 113
- 8,831 - U.S. 113 to Road 114
- 13,143 - Delaware 5 to Delaware 1 (U.S. 9 overlap)
Delaware 404 Terminus Collection
| Western
Terminus
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| Maryland 404 (Denton Bridgeville Road) crosses into the state of Delaware from Caroline County, Maryland through farm country west of Adams Crossroads. There are no photos of the western terminus at this time. If you have one, please send me an email.
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| Eastern
Terminus
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Delaware 1 southbound at Five Points. The name Five Points is derived from the five-way intersection created by the confluence of Delaware 1, U.S. 9 & Delaware 404, U.S. 9 Business, Delaware 23 & Delaware 1D (Beaver Dam Road). The junction composes the joint termini of Delaware 23 (north), Delaware 1D (north), and Delaware 404 (east). U.S. 9 north & Delaware 404 east enter Five Points by way of Georgetown from the west. U.S. 9 than turns southward for a short overlap on Delaware 1 between Five Points and the Kings Highway. Former U.S. 9 between Five Points and Lewes stems from the north as U.S. 9 Business (Savannah Road). Delaware 1D & 23 depart Five Points southward via Beaver Dam Road and split nearby. Delaware 1D turns southeasterly along Plantation Road to Midway. Photo by Adam Froehlig 02/18/02. |
Delaware 404 Highway Guide
| Delaware 404 east
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Mileage sign on Delaware 404 (Seashore Highway) eastbound after the Delaware 36 western terminus at Scotts Corner. This stretch of pavement resides just 3.3 miles east of the Maryland 404 transition into Delaware 404 at the state line. Photo taken 04/13/04. |
| Approaching the split between Delaware 404 and Delaware 404 Business on the Seashore Highway eastbound. Erroneous U.S. 404 shields are in place on the approach shield assembly. There once was a U.S. 104, but never a U.S. 404. The area of north of Bridgeville is otherwise very rural in nature. Photo taken 04/13/04.
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| Delaware 404 eastbound turns left onto Newton Road for a two-mile trek to U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway). Delaware 404 Business continues southward along the Seashore Highway into Bridgeville itself. The two highways will reunite south of town. Photo taken 04/13/04.
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Sources:
1 - "Bill proposes highway study: New Sussex roadway eyed." Delaware State News, June 2, 2004.
Delaware 404 Offsite Links
Page Updated June 24, 2004
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