BUSINESS

Wilmington - Southbound

U.S. 13 Business constitutes the original routing of U.S. 13 through Wilmington. It was commissioned at the same time Alternate U.S. 13 was decommissioned. Beginning from the south at I-495 where U.S. 13 splits to the east to Edgemoor, Business U.S. 13 follows South Market Street crossing the Christiana River on a drawbridge. From here it splits near DE 48 by the Amtrak station at the developing river front park district. Northbound follows Walnut St. while southbound follows King St. Business U.S. 13 cuts right through the heart of the business district of Wilmington. At the Brandywine Creek north and southbound merge back together and follow Market St. through northeastern Wilmington. North of the city limits Business U.S. 13 widens to 4 lanes and is known as Philadelphia Pike en route to the Northern terminus with U.S. 13, just south of I-495.

U.S. 13 Business Southbound - Wilmington
	The southbound beginning of U.S. 13 Business (Philadelphia Pike) after its split from U.S. 13 at Governor Printz Boulevard. Photo taken 12/16/05.
	Interstate 495 trailblazer posted on Philadelphia Pike southbound at the intersection with Cauffiel Parkway. Cauffiel Parkway opened in 2000 to provide access between U.S. 13 Business and U.S. 13 (Governor Printz Boulevard) to alleviate cross traffic on area residential streets. The two-lane roadway also improves access from the area to the Exit 4 interchange of Interstate 495 at Edgemoor. The roadway was completed during the 2000 reconstruction project of Interstate 95 north of Wilmington. Photo taken 03/20/04.
	U.S. 13 Business (Philadelphia Pike) southbound at the Washington Street Extension (Delaware 3). Delaware 3 merges with U.S. 13 Business southbound for 0.8 miles through to Edgemoor Road. Washington Street Extension carries Delaware 3 northbound to Marsh Road. From there the arterial parallels U.S. 13 Business southward to the Wilmington city line. In the East Lawn neighborhood of the city, Washington Street narrows to two lanes and continues southward into downtown over the Brandywine Creek. Photo taken 04/09/04.
	Southbound reassurance shield for U.S. 13 Business posted after the Delaware 3 merge from Washington Street Extension. Delaware 3 overall is poorly signed on the cosigning along Philadelphia Pike. The state highway used to travel Marsh Road across U.S. 13 Business to Edgemoor Road itself. However DelDOT realigned the highway in an effort to remove some of the truck traffic through the residential areas of Marsh Road between Washington Street Extension and Edgemoor Road. Photo taken 04/09/04.
	Descending into the Brandywine valley on U.S. 13 Business & Delaware 3 southbound between Marsh and Edgemoor Roads. At the base of the hill Delaware 3 turns left toward the community of Edgemoor and junction U.S. 13 & Interstate 495. The Philadelphia Pike continues a short distance to Lea Boulevard and the Wilmington city line. Photo taken 06/00.

U.S. 13 Business and Delaware 3 part ways at Edgemoor Road. Philadelphia Pike dips ahead at Sellers Park. Shipley Road ties into Edgemoor Road from the right (north) and travels northwest to Rockwood Park and the Brandywine Hundred community of Talleyville. Photo taken 09/19/04.

Market Street southbound at 40th Street in Wilmington. No turns are permitted at the intersection due to one-way orientations of the surface street leading into U.S. 13 Business. Many 30" Eagle street level traffic light assemblies remain on Market Street in the East Lawn section of Wilmington. The 1960s based signals serve several of the numbered cross streets that U.S. 13 Business encounters on the stretch between Lea Boulevard and Delaware 202 (Concord Avenue). Philadelphia Pike becomes the two-lane Market Street at the city line. Photo taken 06/00.

U.S. 13 crosses the North Market Street Bridge over the Brandywine Creek into the downtown area of Wilmington. The five lane bridge features large sidewalks and decorative monuments to provide a beautiful gateway into the business district. Built in 1928 by New Castle County, the span was renovated and repainted in 1999. First photo taken 07/00; Second and third photos taken 03/30/04.

	U.S. 13 Business southbound splits from northbound at the intersection of 16th Street (U.S. 13 Business north) and Park Drive. Park Drive provides a scenic route along the Brandywine Creek northward to Brandywine Park. 16th Street southbound provides local access to French Street. Market Street turns right at the next traffic light and King Street begins. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	12th Street carries Delaware 52 northbound from U.S. 13 Business (Walnut & King Streets) to Delaware Avenue and junction Interstate 95. The state route continues from there to northwest Wilmington, Greenville, Centerville, and Fairville, Pennsylvania. Delaware 52 southbound travels 11th Street one block to the south. Photo taken 08/10/04.
	King Street southbound between 9th and 8th Streets in downtown Wilmington. The southbound only street carries three lanes of U.S. 13 Business between 15th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Pictured here is a mast arm supported set of pedestrian signals. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	Older Eagle signals remain at the King Street intersection with 8th Street. 8th Street travels northward through downtown. One block north is the former Market Street Mall. The City of Wilmington is in the process of reverting the pedestrian street mall to a through street after the decline of the area since the mall's inception in the late 1960s. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	U.S. 13 Business (King Street) southbound at 7th Street and the Windham Hotel parking garage. Seventh Street is discontinuous between King and Walnut Streets because of the Windham Hotel. A street level traffic light is posted to the right for the parking garage exit. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	Sixth Street also ends at King Street on U.S. 13 Business southbound. The street resumes at Walnut Street (U.S. 13 Business north) to the south through the East Side neighborhood of the city. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	Southbound at Fifth Street on U.S. 13 Business. A new high rise built between 2000 and 2001 for the New Castle County Courthouse to the left. The building occupies the land between Walnut, Fourth, King, and Seventh Streets. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	U.S. 13 Business southbound at Delaware 9 (Fourth Street). Fourth Street provides the main surface arterial between downtown Wilmington and the Hill Top section of the city. The four lane boulevard serves the Delaware Technical and Community College Wilmington Campus, Interstate 95 via Exit 6, and the Latino community of Wilmington north of the freeway. Delaware 9 ends at Union Street (Delaware 2) in northwest Wilmington. There are no signs posted referring to Fourth Street as Delaware 9 on King Street southbound. Photo taken 03/30/04.

A U.S. 13 Business cutout shield remains in place as of 2004 on the block of King Street between Delaware 9 and Third Street. The 1970s style shield however is skewed so that it faces the sidewalk and not King Street southbound motorists. Note the change in orientation of the business banner between the 2000 and 2004 photos. It appears that the assembly is on the verge of falling. First two photos taken 03/30/04; Third photo taken 03/15/00.

Mast arm supported overheads on U.S. 13 Business southbound as King Street approaches junction Delaware 48 (Second Street) and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Three options are available at the upcoming intersection. The right-hand lane allows drivers to turn westward onto Delaware 48 (Second Street) or to access the right-hand lane for Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard west. The center and left-hand lane also access Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard but turn southward onto Market Street beyond the Second Street traffic signal. King Street itself continues to the Amtrak Train Station on Front Street otherwise. Photo taken 03/30/04.

Delaware 48 shield posted at the intersection of U.S. 13 Business south (King Street) at Second Street. Delaware 48 travels a pair of one-way couplets between U.S. 13 Business and Delaware 2 (Union Street). Westbound continues along Second Street and eastbound follows Lancaster Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Walnut Street. Photo taken 03/30/04.

This suite of photos illustrates the 'S' turn of U.S. 13 Business between Second Street (Delaware 48 west) and the junction of Market Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Three lanes of traffic turn westward from King Street to form the beginning of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. At Market Street, U.S. 13 Business turns southward (left) across Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard eastbound (Delaware 48 east) and underneath the Amtrak Railroad line. The boulevard otherwise becomes an access roadway for Interstate 95 north and south. Photos taken 03/30/04.

	Part of the late 1990s and early 2000s revitalization of the Christina Riverfront involved the improvement of the area adjacent to the Amtrak Wilmington Train Station and the river itself. Decorative street lamps and mast arm traffic signal assemblies and brick sidewalks were installed to improve the aesthetics of the area. Pictured here is the intersection of U.S. 13 Business (Market Street) southbound at Shipley and Water Streets. Photo taken 03/30/04.
	Market Street traverses a draw bridge over the Christina River between downtown and South Bridge Wilmington. The three lane bridge resides 1,000 feet or so west of the U.S. 13 Business northbound span on Walnut Street. Photo taken 03/22/04.
	The only intersection of consequence for South Market Street in the South Bridge section of the city is with A Street. The east-west arterial connects U.S. 13 Business with Walnut Street and the U.S. 13 & Delaware 9 mainline at Heald Street and New Castle Avenue. The area otherwise is reserved for industrial interests. An Interstate 495 trailblazer is in place south of the intersection. Photo taken 03/22/04.
	Market Street merges with Walnut Street one half mile south of A Street outside the city limits of Wilmington. Together the north and southbound directions of U.S. 13 Business travel a four-lane span over the Norfolk Southern Railroad line. Photo taken 03/22/04.
	U.S. 13 Business southbound on the approach to the Exit 1 interchange with Interstate 495. The four lane highway divides as it nears the junction with U.S. 13 (Heald Street). Photo taken 03/22/04.
	An original sign bridge was retrofitted with new panels in 2000 after a new ramp for Interstate 495 northbound opened to U.S. 13 & U.S. 13 Business southbound motorists. Departing to the right is the southbound on-ramp to Interstate 495. The Wilmington Bypass ends 1.5 miles to the south with ramps to Interstate 95 south, Interstate 295 north, and Delaware 141. Photo taken 03/22/04.
	Looking at the overheads pictured above early on in their lifespan. Note the "Left Lane" strip on the Interstate 495 northbound panel was overlayed with a 2000 feet greenout between 2000 and 2004. U.S. 13 (Heald Street) merges with U.S. 13 Business (Market Street) just north of the Interstate 495 partial cloverleaf interchange. The junction represents the north end of the statewide Dupont Highway. Photo taken 07/00.
	Motorists destined for Interstate 95 & 495 southbound depart U.S. 13 Business southbound. The six-lane freeway parallels the Christina River between Exit 1 and the southern terminus. Ahead is the U.S. 13 southbound merge from Heald Street. Photo taken 03/22/04.
	U.S. 13 Business draws to a close at the merge with U.S. 13 at the Dupont Highway. Unlike the northern terminus, no end sign is posted. A U.S. 13 reassurance is attached to the mast arm traffic light to the right. In the background is the Interstate 495 southbound ramp to U.S. 13 and the Interstate 495 mainline overpasses. See the U.S. 13 southbound photo guide for coverage south of here. Photo taken 03/22/04.

Scenes related to U.S. 13 Business Southbound - Wilmington
	The east end of Silverside Road occurs at U.S. 13 Business (Philadelphia Pike) just south of Claymont. Silverside Road provides the main route between U.S. 202 (Concord Pike) at Talleyville to Philadelphia Pike. Photo taken 04/10/04.
		Peering westward at the Market Street Bridge over the Christina River from the Leo J. Dugan Bridge of Walnut Street (U.S. 13 Business northbound). A new river walk and park were constructed along the Christina River between Walnut Street and Daniel S. Frawley Stadium in the early 2000s. Beyond the stadium is the Interstate 95 viaduct through the Browntown section of the city. Photos taken 03/30/04.
		Two views of the North Market Street Bridge from the Park Drive walk along the Brandywine Creek north of U.S. 13 Business. The 1928 span traverses the rocky creek between the central business district and the East Lawn sections of the city. DelDOT repainted the bridge in the late 1990s. Photos taken 03/30/04.

Page Updated April 8, 2006