Wilmington Highways - An overview of the city highway network
Featured here is the highway system of Wilmington intended to carry motorists in, out, and around the city.
A Brief History of Wilmington2
In 1638 a group of Swedish settlers sailed up the Delaware River to a small river they dubbed Christina for their queen. They settled on the lowlands between the Christina and Brandywine rivers. By 1698 the early settlers constructed a church later known as the Old Swedes Church. By 1731 Thomas Willing lays out the initial town of Willingtown with a grid pattern for its city streets similar to ones found in Philadelphia. Numbered streets run east to west and streets running north to south were named for trees, presidents, and prominent citizens. Joined by real-estate developer William Shipley, the two created a successful market and mill town. In 1739 the family of William Penn grants the small town a charter allowing for the formation of a local government. The name is changed to Wilmington apparently after William Penn's friend Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington. In 1832 Wilmington becomes a city with an elected mayor and city council.
Railroads linked Wilmington with nearby Baltimore and Philadelphia by 1837. The city became known for its shipyards, factories, and other industries throughout the 19th century. However in 1904 the outlook of the city changed when the DuPont Company located its headquarters in the city. The date marks the beginnings of the transition of the city from industrial based into office based.
Other developments in the history of Wilmington include the 1981 signing of the Financial Center Development Act which accomodates out of state banks that decide to relocate to Delaware. In the process Wilmington undergoes a transformation with new high rises built to house the new banking tenants. In 1995 MBNA Corporation follows suit and builds its corporate headquarter in downtown Wilmington. The complex now includes eight downtown buildings.
Wilmington once boasted as many as 120,000 residents in the early 20th century. However suburban growth combined with an economic decline saw the city population decrease to 70,000 by the 1980s. Presently 72,664 people call the city home and 550,000 live within the metropolitan area. The mayor's office and local politicians have worked at revitalizing the city by adding to its appeal as a cultural and entertainment center. Nearly $100 million was spent on the development of the Christina Riverfront from industrial use into a regional attraction. Included there is an arts center, Frawley Stadium, an outlet mall, the Kahunaville night club, a river walk, and Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park. Other investments improve the Grand Opera House on Market Street and Delaware Art Museum on Kentmere Parkway.
552 acres of parkland lie within the city limits of Wilmington. William Poole Bancroft aided in the creation of the parks commission and donated various tracts of land including those included in Rockford Park. In 1886 the establishment of Brandywine Park along the Brandywine Creek preserved one of the more scenic urban waterways in the country. A divided parkway bears Bancroft's lane through northwest Wilmington today.
Wilmington Road Maps
Wilmington continues to prosper with urban renewal projects ranging from the Christiana Riverfront to the construction of new high rises in downtown. See Address: Wilmington, DE for a detailed look at current and past projects.
Interstate 95 cuts a swatch through Wilmington between the Adams and Jackson Street corridors west of downtown. The freeway exists in two portions. The southern stretch of roadway follows a pair of two-lane viaducts from the city line to the geologic fall line between Fourth and Sixth Streets. From there Interstate 95 travels below the city street grid northward to the six-lane Brandywine River Bridge. Interstate 95 passes high above the rocky creek below over Brandywine Park between Lovering Avenue and Baynard Stadium. The freeway departs the city line at the CSX Railroad overpass near Exit 8 (U.S. 202). U.S. 202 follows all of Interstate 95 through the city of Wilmington and has since AASHTO approved its relocation on December 7, 1984.
Construction on Interstate 95 through the city began in the late 1950s with the demolition of the neighborhoods between Adams and Jackson Street through the West Side section of the city. The path of the freeway was chosen over an alignment further north over the Bancroft Parkway. Many residents were displaced for the building of Interstate 95 and the neighborhoods to the west and east of the new highway were disconnected from one another. To this day Wilmingtonians that once lived on the stretch still remain bitter about Interstate 95.
Interstate 95 opened between the years of 1961 and 1963 through the city of Wilmington. The viaduct portion opened to traffic first, linking the freeway with the Delaware Turnpike and Seventh Street. Two years later the freeway saw extension northward to the Harvey Road half-diamond interchange (Exit 10). In the subsequent years the freeway underwent several reconstructions. Between 1979 and 1982 Interstate 95 was squeezed to one lane in each direction for a major rehabilitation of the freeway viaduct and suppressed freeway segments. The northbound off-ramp at Seventh Street was relocated to Ninth Street in the process. The concrete roadway was covered in asphalt in the 1990s. A beautification project and spot repairs have occurred between 2001 and 2004.
Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker included a dramatic concept regarding Interstate 95 in his proposals during a economic development conference on May 12, 2004. Baker put forth the conception of building a deck over Interstate 95 between Eighth Street and Delaware Avenue (Delaware 52). The concept includes plazas, parks, and a multi-use high-rise on the deck itself. Interstate 95 and 676 in Philadelphia prove that building decks over freeways can work. The plan for Wilmington is based upon unifying the communities of Cool Spring-Tilton Park and Trinity Vicinity.1
Interstate 95 Highway Guides
Interstate 495 provides the bypass for through travelers around the city of Wilmington near the Delaware River. The freeway features four interchanges for the city of Wilmington, three actually within the city limits. Constructed in the late 1970s as a six-lane freeway, Interstate 495 provides a quick route into the central business district of the city via U.S. 13 Business (Market Street) and Exit 1. Between the 1979 opening and 1982 Interstate 495 actually carried the Interstate 95 mainline. During that time period the reconstructed portion of Interstate 95 through the city carried the designation Interstate 895.
A major reconstruction resulted in the resurfacing of the freeway between 1991 and 1994. Premature cracking found in the concrete mixture used for both Interstate 495 and Delaware 141 (Newport Freeway) necessitated a resurfacing well before the expected 30-year life span of the concrete was reached. The project for the Wilmington Bypass was delayed by cold winter weather and contractor issues and dragged well beyond its scheduled completion date. Fortunately the freeway has maintained itself well since then.
In 1996 Interstate 495 joined the SR 1 Turnpike around the city of Dover as the only freeways to receive a 65 MPH speed limit within the state of Delaware. Governor Carper signed a bill allowing the state-wide 55 MPH speed limit to raise for those two highways based upon the spacing between interchanges and capacity. In 2000 the Exit 1 directional cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 13 & U.S. 13 Business saw expansion in the form of two new short access ramps between Interstate 495 south and U.S. 13 north and U.S. 13 south and Interstate 495 north. In 1989 the Edgemoor interchange (Exit 4) with Delaware 3 (Edgemoor Road) and U.S. 13 (Governor Printz Boulevard) opened the communities of northeast Wilmington, Edgemoor, and Bellefonte to Interstate 495.
Interstate 495 Highway Guides
U.S. 13 travels through the Southbridge, East Side, and East Lawn sections of the city. The federal route serves as a route for local traffic interests through the various industrial and residential areas that U.S. 13 traverses. Unfortunately much of the path of U.S. 13 in Wilmington passes through blighted or economically repressed areas.
Until about 1979 U.S. 13 traveled through the heart of downtown Wilmington along what is currently U.S. 13 Business. The path of the current U.S. 13 was signed as U.S. 13 Alternate. U.S. 13 saw relocation around the time Interstate 495 opened to traffic. From south to north U.S. 13 follows Heald Street, the one-way couplet of Heald Street southbound and New Castle Avenue northbound through Southbridge, Fourth Street into East Side, the one-way couplet of Church Street northbound and Spruce Street southbound to the Brandywine Creek Bridge at Twelfth Street. From there U.S. 13 widens into the five-lane Northeast Boulevard before departing the city near Lea Boulevard. Delaware 9 overlaps with U.S. 13 between D Street in Southbridge and Spruce Street in East Side.
Three bridges of interest reside along the path of U.S. 13 through the city of Wilmington. The South Heald Street bridge passes over the Delaware 9 ramp and former Shellpot Branch freight secondary of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The 608 feet long reinforced concrete bridge includes Moderne-style parapets including diamond shaped tile mosaics. The 1941-42 constructed span features mushroom column technology. The Heald Street bridge and Market Street Bridge over the Norfolk-Southern Railroad tracks to the west remain Delaware's only examples of the design. Grade crossing eliminations were at the forefront of concerns for both highway and railroad departments in the first half of the 20th century. Between 1901 and 1907 the Pennsylvania Railroad elevated its line through the city of Wilmington to eliminate the hazards caused by pedestrians, wagons, and autos. The line remains in use today for AMTRAK and SEPTA. The South Heald Street project was a part of the effort to eliminate the grade-crossing of the street. Deldot rehabilitated the bridge in 1994.3
A draw bridge carries U.S. 13 & Delaware 9 over the Christina River between the Southbridge and East Side sections of the city. The four-lane span links Fourth and Heald Streets as it curves southeasterly over the river itself. The north end of Delaware 9A (Christina Avenue) resides just south of the bridge. The AMTRAK railroad crossing passes over Fourth Street just before the split of U.S. 13 northbound (Church Street) from Delaware 9 (Fourth Street).
The Church Street Bridge traverses the Brandywine Creek between Northeast Boulevard and 11th & Spruce Streets in the East Side section of Wilmington. The Moderne-styne bridge features a light grey operator's house. The operating equipment from the house itself was removed in 1957 but the structure still remains in place as part of the bridge aesthetics. The 332' long single-leaf, simple trunnion bascule bridge opened to motorists in 1932. The architectural features of the span include accented concrete abutments, wingwalls, piers, and balustrades. The North Church Street bridge replaced the 1869 metal draw bridge. 22 years after the new draw bridge opened, its movable status was ended. In 1952 large scale shipping along the Brandywine River ended and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved a bridge closure request by the Delaware State Highway Department. At the time the original wood deck was replaced with concrete and the bascule span itself was fixed in place.3
Over time U.S. 13 Alternate and later the U.S. 13 mainline remained vastly on the same alignment it does today. A couple of subtle changes include the renaming of Linwood Avenue to Northeast Boulevard by 1937 and the possibility that U.S. 13 Alternate traveled just Church Street alone between Fourth Street and Eleventh Street in east Wilmington instead of splitting between Church and Spruce Streets.7 By 1941 however the one-way couplet was in place.6
U.S. Highway 13 Guides
BUSINESS
U.S. 13 Business begins south of the city line at the Interstate 495 Exit 1 interchange and intersection of Heald and Market Streets. The junction represents the north end of the statewide Dupont Highway. From there U.S. 13 Business travels Market Street northbound over the Norfolk Southern Railroad to a one-way couplet of Walnut Street (northbound) and Market Street (southbound). The railroad overpass is 852 feet long. Built between 1938 and 1940, the span eliminated the dangerous crossing of the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroads. A 1994 refurbishment project replaced damaged sections of original concrete with a new lightweight concrete. Extra considerations were adhered to maintain the historical character of the span including the diamond shape tile mosaics that line the bridge.3 The landscape south of the Christina River is primarily reserved for industrial use. A pair of draw bridges provide the connections between south Wilmington and the center city area.
U.S. 13 southbound travels the South Market Street bridge over the Christina River between the Wilmington Train Station and south Wilmington. Built between 1926-1927, the span is a double-leaf bascule bridge. The draw bridge replaced the 1883 metal truss swing span bridge which was considered too narrow and light weight for the existing traffic. The original bridge remained in operation during construction of its replacement and was demolished after the new bridge opened. The South Market Bridge is 38 feet wide and features cantilevered sidewalks. The bridge opened to traffic on November 11, 1927 and was rehabilitated in 1982. South Market Street carried two way traffic originally.3
A short distance to the east is the Walnut Street bridge over the Christina River for U.S. 13 northbound. The double leaf bascule bridge was constructed between 1954 and 1957 and represents the largest project undertaken by the Delaware State Highway Department in the decade following World World II. The bridge provided an alternate route to U.S. 13 for Wilmington to New Castle traffic and is four lanes or 64 feet wide with two sidewalks. The deck itself is 21 feet about the mean high water level of the channel below. Planning for the bridge commenced in 1952 to improve access to the south after the opening of the Delaware Memorial Bridge in New Castle. To address growing congestion on the existing South Market Street Bridge, the State Highway Department recommended a 0.75-mile extension of Walnut Street over a new Christina River crossing. The consulting engineers initially envisioned a limited access expressway and fixed high level bridge over the river itself for the new crossing. The Highway Department however decided against the option citing costs associated with having to create a second bridge over the nearby Pennsylvania Railroad and limited access highway legislation issues at the time. So the movable bridge option with the construction of an underpass for the railroad began in June of 1954 and completed by May of 1957.3 The bridge is officially named the Leo J. Dugan Bridge after a former legislator.
U.S. 13 Business travels the one-way couplet of King Street (southbound) and Walnut Street (northbound) through downtown Wilmington. Each street contains anywhere between two and four travel lanes with on-street parking as well. At Sixteenth Street U.S. 13 northbound turns left two blocks to merge with U.S. 13 southbound at the Market Street Bridge. From there the unified business route continues along the two-lane Market Street through the East Lawn section of the city. The city line at Lea Boulevard marks the transition from Market Street into the four-lane Philadelphia Pike. Unfortunately the stretch of U.S. 13 Business between 23rd and 30th Streets is known for its drive by shootings and gang activity. The south end of Delaware 202 occurs at the intersection with Concord Avenue and Vandever Avenue. U.S. 202 at one time overlapped with U.S. 13 through the city of Wilmington.
The North Market Street Bridge provides the gateway into downtown Wilmington from the East Lawn section of the city. The 83 foot wide bridge carries four overall travel lanes and wide sidewalks in each direction. The steel cantilevered multi girder bridge is 213 feet long and cost $382,060 to build. The 1928 opened bridge is believed to be the fifth incarnation of a Market Street crossing over the Brandywine Creek since 1764.3
U.S. 13 Business took over the exact routing of the U.S. 13 mainline when it was created in the 1970s. Before that however U.S. 13 varied slightly from the Walnut & King Street alignments it traveled until its relocation. In 1937 U.S. 13 followed Causeway (South Market Street) northward across the Christina River to Front Street (U.S. 202) where the route turned east two blocks to French Street. From there U.S. 13 followed French Street through the central business district to Sixteenth Street and one block west to Market Street where it crossed the Brandywine Creek as U.S. 13 Business does today.6, 7 By 1959, U.S. 13 north and southbound split between two one way streets through center city. Northbound followed the same route that U.S. 13 Business does today (Walnut Street, 16th Street, Market Street). Southbound however departed Market Street for Fourteenth Street east and French Street south to Second Street and back to Market Street.5
U.S. Highway 13 Business Guides
U.S. 202 passes through the city limits of Wilmington overlapped on Interstate 95. The federal highway departs the freeway just north of the city line at the Exit 8 interchange with Concord Pike. There is only one sign posted within the city of Wilmington that identifies U.S. 202 as being cosigned with Interstate 95. That shield resides on the Tenth & Adams Street on-ramp to Interstate 95 north.
AASHTO approved the extension of U.S. 202 from its terminus at the Farnhurst interchange with Interstate 295 & U.S. 13-40-301 southward to Basin Corner at junction Delaware 141 and U.S. 13 & 40. The lengthening entails an overlap with Interstate 95 between Exit 8 and Exit 5 and an overlap with Delaware 141 (Basin Road) southward from Exit 5 to the Dupont Highway cloverleaf interchange (Exit 1). The relocation became official on December 7, 1984. Prior to that U.S. 202 traveled through the city.
The original alignment of U.S. 202 constituted an overlap along U.S. 13 via Causeway (South Market Street) to Front Street north of the Christina River. From there U.S. 202 turned left onto Front to the one-way couplet of West Street (northbound) and Washington Street (southbound). U.S. 202 used those streets northward to Eleventh Street where northbound turned left to merge with southbound on Washington Street. North of the Brandywine Creek the federal route turned onto Baynard Boulevard northward to Concord Pike.6, 7. By 1959 the alignment changed to where U.S. 202 split into separate directions north of the South Market Street Bridge. U.S. 202 northbound overlapped with U.S. 13 via King Street, 16th Street, and Market Street to Concord Avenue. U.S. 202 southbound meanwhile followed Baynard Boulevard, Washington Street, and Front Street to Market Street and U.S. 13. At the intersection of Concord Avenue and Baynard Boulevard, the split routes unified for an exit of the city north of Broom Street on Concord Pike.4, 5
Delaware 2 enters the city via Wilmington Avenue from the town of Elsmere. The four lane divided highway crosses the CSX bridge on a late 1980s rebuilt bridge between Delaware 100 (Dupont Road) and the Wilmington city line. East of the Prospect Road traffic light is Canby Park. Delaware 2 there partitions between the one-way couplet of Lincoln Street (eastbound) and Union Street (westbound). Delaware 2 eastbound carries two lanes through the Hill Top and Little Italy neighborhoods of the city to the terminus at Delaware 52 (Pennsylvania Avenue). Union Street, one block to the north, carries three overall lanes westward between Pennsylvania Avenue and Canby Park.
Delaware 2 traveled just Union Street until at least 1941.6, 7 By 1960 the route split between Lincoln and Union Street as it does today.5 I recall Delaware 2 & 48 cutouts on Second Street at Jackson Street in the 1980s. we are unsure if Delaware 2 ever turned southward with Delaware 48 between Union & Lincoln Streets to Maryland Avenue or Market Street. If you know or have information regarding any Wilmington historic routing that is omitted here, please drop us an email.
Delaware 2 Guides
Delaware 4 (Maryland Avenue) enters Wilmington at the intersection with Broom Street east of Richardson Park. The four lane highway reduces to two overall between the city line and the terminus at Delaware 48 (Lancaster Avenue & Martin Luther King Boulevard) east of Interstate 95. Maryland Avenue composes the main surface roadway through the Browntown neighborhood of the city. The Exit 6 off-ramp of Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 directly connects with Delaware 4 at Adams Street.
Delaware 4 used to continue northward from its current end at Delaware 48 into Center City. From the end of Lancaster Avenue Delaware 4 traveled two blocks eastward on then Wilmington Boulevard to Washington Street. Washington Street then carried Delaware 4 northward through the West Side section of the city near downtown. The state route remained on Washington Street across the Brandywine River and into the East Lawn section of the city. Washington Street exits the city at Lea Boulevard and widens to four overall lanes with a grassy median. Dubbed the Washington Street Extension, the surface boulevard continues northward to junction Delaware 3 (Marsh Road) and U.S. 13 Business (Philadelphia Pike) where it ends.
| Delaware 4 Eastbound |
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The five-way intersection between Delaware 4 (Maryland Avenue), Broom Street, and Latimer Place/Drive occurs on the Wilmington city line at Browntown. Maryland Avenue descends from the intersection toward the Christina Riverfront and Interstate 95. Broom Street ascends northward 12 blocks to Delaware 48 east (Lancaster Avenue). Photo taken 05/01/04. |
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Delaware 4 eastbound (Maryland Avenue) splits with Delaware 4 westbound (Monroe Street) one block before concluding at Delaware 48 (Martin Luther King Boulevard). A sign bridge resides over Maryland Avenue for the pending junction with Delaware 48 east and Madison Street northbound. The guide signs exist for drivers departing the Exit 6 off-ramp of Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 northbound onto Maryland Avenue. In the background are the Martin Luther King Boulevard westbound access ramps to Interstate 95. Photo taken 03/21/04. |
Delaware 4 Guides
Delaware 9 arrived in the city of Wilmington sometime during the 1960s and replaced Delaware 48 from Southbridge to Hill Top.6 The north-south route travels the four-lane New Castle Avenue from Interstate 295 & U.S. 40 (Exit 1) and the town of New Castle itself into the Southbridge section of the city. There the state highway merges with U.S. 13 along the one-way couplet of New Castle Avenue (northbound) and Heald Street (southbound). The split alignment features a loop ramp from U.S. 13 southbound at the Heald Street bridge to New Castle Avenue for Delaware 9 southbound motorists. North of the bridge Heald Street becomes one-way southbound as U.S. 13 northbound departs via D Street to Delaware 9 northbound. Five blocks north of there New Castle Avenue merges into Heald Street and the tandem approach the north end of Delaware 9A (Christina Avenue).
U.S. 13 & Delaware 9 cross the Christina River via a four-lane draw bridge at Christina Park. Just west of the bascule span is the split of the two routes as U.S. 13 departs via the one-way couplet of Church Street (northbound) and Spruce Street (southbound). Delaware 9 remains on Fourth Street westward to the central business district.
Fourth Street comprises the main surface arterial through the southern half of Wilmington between Southbridge and Little Italy (junction Delaware 2). The four-lane street intersects U.S. 13 Business at the New Castle County Courthouse high rise and ascends from there to the Wilmington campus of Delaware Technical and Community College. At Washington Street Delaware 9 descends again toward the Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 viaduct at Adams and Jackson Streets. An off-ramp from the freeway intersects Fourth Street at Jackson Street itself. North of there Delaware 9 again ascends through the hispanic area of the city. The northern terminus occurs at the Fourth Street intersection with Delaware 2 west (Union Street). Fourth Street itself continues all the way to the former Wilmington High School athletic field near Ogle Avenue.
Delaware 9 Guides
Delaware 9A provides a loop of New Castle Avenue (Delaware 9) for the Port of Wilmington and Interstate 495 (Exit 2) in the Southbridge portion of the city. The state route travels Terminal Avenue east of Delaware 9 near the Wilmington city line to the Exit 2 partial cloverleaf interchange of Interstate 495. From there Terminal Avenue intersects Christina Avenue at the entrance to the Port of Wilmington. Delaware 9A turns northwestward onto Christina Avenue for its return to Delaware 9 and U.S. 13 (Heald Street) near the Christiana River crossing into the downtown area. Christina Avenue was apart of Delaware 48 until at least 1951.
Delaware 9A @ AARoads
Delaware 48 (Lancaster Pike) provides the main highway between the city of Wilmington and Delaware 41 near Hockessin. The Delaware 41 and Pennsylvania 41 corridor (Newport Gap Pike) travels northwest of Hockessin into Chester County, Pennsylvania en route to U.S. 30 at the town of Gap, Pennsylvania. The two-lane highway is a major trucking corridor and the primary route between Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Wilmington.
The Lancaster Pike carries Delaware 48 & 100 southward from Delaware 141 (Centre Road) to the northwestern edge of the Wilmington city limits. The overlap between the two routes originally entailed just one block between the split Dupont Road on Lancaster Pike. However in 1989 Delaware 100 saw relocation to avoid Dupont Road residential areas between Delaware 48 and 52. The Wilmington city line follows Dupont Road southward to Delaware 48 & 100 and Lancaster Pike one block to the southern section of Dupont Road (Delaware 100). At the split between the two highways Delaware 48 becomes Lancaster Avenue and officially enters the city limits of Wilmington.
Lancaster Avenue varies between two and four lanes between the city line and CSX Railroad undercrossing at Greenhill Avenue. The roadway constitutes four lanes during the daytime but reduces to two at night with the allowance of on street parking. South of Greenhill Avenue Delaware 48 maintains just two lanes through to the junction with Delaware 2 west (Union Street). There the state route splits between the one-way couplet of Lancaster Avenue (eastbound) and Second Street (westbound). Row homes line the frontage of Delaware 48 between Little Italy and West Side on the descent from Delaware 2 east (Lincoln Street) into the Christina River valley.
Delaware 48 provides the main access route for much of northwest Wilmington to Interstate 95 & U.S. 202. On-ramps to the freeway exist at the Lancaster Avenue intersection with Jackson Street for southbound and from Martin Luther King Boulevard westbound for Second Street motorists east of the freeway. Delaware 48 intersects Delaware 4 (Maryland Avenue) two blocks east of Adams Street and the Interstate 95 viaduct to form Martin Luther King Boulevard. The divided boulevard encompasses the southern gateway into the central business district and has undergone several beautification and improvement projects since 1999.
The east and westbound directions of Delaware 48 remains split between Second Street (westbound) and Martin Luther King Boulevard (eastbound) to the terminus at U.S. 13 Business northbound (King Street). Martin Luther King Boulevard eastbound defaults onto King Street northbound for downtown. Front Street splits from Delaware 48 ahead of the King Street merge for the Wilmington Train Station. Martin Luther King Boulevard begins at the confluence of Delaware 48 west (Second Street) and U.S. 13 Business (King Street) southbound. The three-lane boulevard bisects the block between Delaware 48 east and westbound to Orange Street. West of Orange Street Martin Luther King Boulevard transition into high speed access ramps for Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 north and south.
Before the opening of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, Delaware state route 48 continued eastward into the Southbridge section of the city via the Christina River Bridge of Fourth Street (U.S. 13 & Delaware 9). In Southbridge Delaware 48 veered southeast onto Christina Avenue (current Delaware 9A). The two-lane roadway ended at the Wilmington-Penns Grove marine terminal on the Christina River. The ferry carried Delaware 48 eastward to New Jersey 48 until the 1951 opening of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. With the new suspension bridge to the south, the ferry service became unnecessary and Delaware 48 was truncated to its current terminus. Delaware 9 overtook the Fourth Street alignment of Delaware 48 between Christina Avenue and Union Street (Delaware 2) by 1959.5, 6
Delaware 48 Guides
Delaware 52 is a multi state route with Pennsylvania 52 in Delaware and Chester County, Pennsylvania. The state route enters the city of Wilmington as the Kennett Pike at Rising Sun Lane and the Ed "Porky" Oliver Golf Club. The four-lane surface arterial is the main conduit between the city and the northern suburbs of Greenville, Centreville, and Montchanin.
Once in the city of Wilmington, Delaware 52 becomes Pennsylvania Avenue. The busy north-south thoroughfare descends on the trek between Rising Sun Lane and Union Street in northwest Wilmington. Along the stretch is the award winning restaurant, the Columbus Inn. The intersections with Greenhill Avenue and Union Street provide the main routes between Pennsylvania Avenue and the Little Italy and Hill Top sections of the city. Union Street eastbound serves the Trolley Square area of Delaware Avenue. Trolley Square is home to several bars, restaurants, and shops including Kelly's Logan House, Ciao's Pizza, and Scratch McGoo's. Between Bancroft Parkway and Clayton Street lies the Union Park Auto Mall. Click their link to view a live traffic cam of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Delaware 52 reaches its lowest point underneath the CSX Railroad overpass between the split sections of Union Street. The valley can and does flood during extreme rainfall events. Wilmington police will close the area to traffic during these occurences. Union Street westbound represents the beginning of Delaware 2. The state route travels the one-way couplet of Union Street and Lincoln Street eastbound between Delaware 52 and Canby Park at the city line. Pennsylvania Avenue ascends again from the east end of Delaware 2 (Lincoln Street) toward the merge with Delaware Avenue at the Cool Springs neighborhood of the city. A fountain resides between the merge of Delaware and Pennsylvania Avenues near Van Buren Street.
Delaware Avenue overtakes Pennsylvania Avenue as the name of Delaware 52 southward to Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 and the central business district. Delaware 52 widens to six overall lanes as it crosses over the freeway below and divides south of Adams Street. The state route splits into the one-way couplet of Delaware Avenue (southbound) and Twelfth Street (northbound) at Madison Street. Twelfth Street carries three overall lanes between the northbound beginning at King Street (U.S. 13 Business) to the Delaware Avenue merge. Delaware Avenue southbound partitions with Delaware 52 at the intersection of Eleventh and Jefferson Streets. From there Delaware 52 takes 11th Street through the heart of the business district to junction U.S. 13 Business (King Street) and its conclusion.
Delaware 52 originally traveled Delaware Avenue onto Eleventh Street to U.S. 13 (French Street) in downtown Wilmington.6, 7 By 1959 the alignment split between Delaware Avenue, Tenth Street, King Street, and Eleventh Street to a terminus at U.S. 13 Alternate (Church Street). Westbound traveled 11th Street to Delaware Avenue at that time.5
Delaware 52 Guides
Delaware 202 is the youngest of the Wilmington state highway system. The 1.01-mile route was christened along Concord Avenue between U.S. 13 (Market Street) and Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 (Concord Pike) upon the relocation of U.S. 202 to Interstate 95 on December 7, 1984. Concord Avenue continues Concord Pike south of Broom Street as a two-lane surface street through the East Lawn section of the city. The southern terminus occurs at Market Street across from the west end of Vandever Avenue. Vandever Avenue is a main route between U.S. 13 Business and U.S. 13 (Northeast Boulevard). Unfortunately anywhere south of the Baynard Boulevard (historic U.S. 202) intersection on Delaware 202 is considered ghetto.
Delaware 202 Highway Guide
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard constitutes a four to six lane boulevard between Maryland Avenue and U.S. 13 Business (King and Walnut Streets). Until 1989 the east-west roadway was named Wilmington Boulevard. Beginning at the intersection of Delaware 48 west (Second Street) and U.S. 13 Business south (King Street), the westbound carriageway of Martin Luther King Boulevard carries one block of U.S. 13 Business south to Market Street and intersects Orange Street before the transition into access ramps to the Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 viaduct. The eastbound carriageway of Martin Luther King Boulevard begins at the Delaware 4 & 48 eastbound junction at Lancaster and Maryland Avenues. From there Delaware 48 eastbound utilizes the boulevard through to its terminus at U.S. 13 Business north (Walnut Street). The wide swath was improved cosmetically and functionally between 1999 and 2001 to coincide with a project to enhance the corridor as a gateway into downtown. There are talks of extending the wide swath of Martin Luther King Boulevard westward along the Delaware 48 corridor (Second Street and Lancaster Avenue) to Delaware 2 at the Hilltop section of the city. That project however would involve the demolishing of several row homes that line the block between Delaware 48 east and west.1
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One of several Interstate 95 trailblazers posted on Martin Luther King Boulevard westbound in south Wilmington. The boulevard provides the best route to Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 from the southern half of downtown Wilmington. Photo taken 03/19/04. |
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Mast arm traffic signal assembly posted at the Martin Luther King Boulevard westbound intersection with Tatnall Street. No turns are permitted here. Photo taken 04/04/04. |
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The signal with West Street is the last before Martin Luther King Boulevard transitions into the high speed ramps to the Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 viaduct. West Street provides access to the Christina Riverfront and Westside neighborhoods. Photo taken 04/04/04. |
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Martin Luther King Boulevard segregates from the city street grid on the approach to Interstate 95. The south end of Washington Street ties into the westbound lanes ahead of the boulevard's ascension onto elevated ramps. Greenouts placed on the overheads here cover yellow/black placards that read "Must Exit". Photo taken 04/04/04. |
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The ramps to Interstate 95 partition above Adams Street below into the respective components. The northbound on-ramp forms the exit-only lane for Delaware 52 (Exit 7) over Fourth Street. The southbound ramp merges onto Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 from the left, forming an auxiliary lane to Interstate 295 north. Photo taken 04/04/04. |
Augustine Cutoff
Augustine Cutoff travels between Lovering Avenue in northeast Wilmington to U.S. 202 (Concord Pike) at Blue Ball just north of the Interstate 95 Exit 8 interchange. The two-lane highway enters the city limits of Wilmington at the intersection with Eighteenth Street. South of there the road travels a high-level stone arch bridge above the Brandywine Creek.
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Augustine Cutoff travels over the Brandywine Creek high above via a stone arch bridge. The two-lane roadway provides a short cut between U.S. 202 (Concord Pike) and Lovering Avenue in northeast Wilmington. Photo taken 04/21/04. |
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Just east of the Brandywine Creek crossing on Augustine Cutoff is the split with 18th Street eastbound. 18th Street descends underneath the adjacent CSX Railroad and over Interstate 95 before entering the Eastlawn section of the city at Broom Street. 18th Street is home to Baynard Stadium as well. Photo taken 04/21/04. |
Rising Sun Bridge
The Rising Sun Bridge spans the Brandywine Creek between Rising Sun Lane and Powder Mill Road north of the Wilmington city line. The truss bridge is designated New Bridge Road as it crosses the creek near the DuPont Experimental Station. It includes a sidewalk and metal latticework. The 193' bridge was built in 1928 to replace an 1833 covered bridge at the same location. The crossing consists of a 127'-long steel truss and 25'-long stone arch spans. The ashlar bridge abutments were retained from the original 1833 crossing. 3
New Bridge Road includes one of only two surviving pre-1956 metal truss bridges within the state of Delaware. The second bridge exists on a private road north of the Hagley Museum over the Brandywine Creek. The stone arch at the west end of the bridge was built to span a mill race in 1833. Debris and shrubbery fills the ground below the arch now. In 1979 the concrete deck was replaced and several rivets were replaced with higher strength steel bolts.3
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Views of the Rising Sun Lane Bridge from Rockford Park and on the bridge itself. New Bridge Road connects Rising Sun Lane and Henry Clay Road with Walkers Bank and Powder Mills Road south of Delaware 141 (Barley Mill Road). Photos taken 03/20/04 and 04/26/04. |
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Wilmington Traffic Light Photos
The city of Wilmington generally uses the same format as the rest of Delaware with yellow signals with black faces. However several newer installations feature tunnel visors rather than the standard cutaway visors found statewide and are all black as well. Many older ground level and 30" Eagle signals dot the cityscape of Wilmington still. The city has slowly replaced many of these 1960s and 1970s signals with new assemblies. It appears that Wilmington has embraced the concept of McCain brand signals with most of their post-2000 installations.
| Broom Street Southbound |
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Broom Street southbound at the north end of 32nd Street in the Eastlawn section of the city. Photo taken 04/21/04. |
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Broom Street southbound at Baynard Boulevard in the Eastlawn neighborhood. Baynard Boulevard dead ends a short distance to the northwest of Broom Street at Interstate 95. Southward Baynard Boulevard becomes an important corridor between Delaware 202 and downtown. Photo taken 04/21/04. |
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Broom Street southbound at Delaware 202 (Concord Avenue) adjacent to the Interstate 95 & U.S. 202 Exit 8 interchange. Photo taken 04/21/04. |
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The end of Broom Street at 18th Street next to Baynard Stadium and Brandywine Park. Photo taken 04/21/04. |
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Southbound Broom Street at Sycamore Street and Kosciuszko Park. Photo taken 07/00. |
| Broom Street Northbound |
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Broom Street northbound begins in the Browntown section of the city from Delaware 4 (Maryland Avenue). Two blocks north of the beginning is the intersection with Banning Street. Photo taken 05/01/04. |
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One block north of Banning Street is a second set of signals for Cedar Street southbound. Photo taken 05/01/04. |
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Broom Street northbound at Sycamore Street alongside Kosciuszko Park. Photo taken 05/01/04. |
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Ground level traffic lights on Broom Street northbound at Linden Street. Photos taken 05/01/04. |
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Continuing toward the Hilltop and Westside neighborhoods on Broom Street northbound at Chestnut Street. Photo taken 05/01/04. |
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Broom Street northbound ends as the two-lane roadway becomes southbound only at Delaware 48 east (Lancaster Avenue). All northbound drivers must turn right onto Lancaster Avenue eastbound. Photo taken 05/01/04. |
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Broom Street northbound at Delaware 202 (Concord Avenue) in the Eastlawn section of the city. The hinged 36" signals in the middle were replaced with new all-black signals and all signals were replaced by 2007. Photos taken 03/00, 08/07/04, and 05/19/07. |
| Harrison Street |
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Ground level and span wire supported 30" Eagle signals govern the movements between Harrison Street southbound and Delaware 48 eastbound (Lancaster Avenue). Photos #1 and #2 taken 03/22/04, #3 taken 04/24/04. |
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Harrison Street southbound at Delaware 48 east (Second Street) in the hispanic area of west Wilmington. Photo taken 03/22/04. |
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New 30" signals join older ground level Eagles at the intersection of Harrison Street southbound at Linden Street in Browntown. Photo taken 04/24/04. |
| Vandever Avenue |
| Vandever Avenue provides a through route between U.S. 13 (Northeast Boulevard) and U.S. 13 (Market Street) & Delaware 202 (Concord Avenue) in the East Lawn section of Wilmington. The two-lane street is lined with signals between the two components of U.S. 13 and is a preferred truck route in northeast Wilmington. Although many maps refers to Vandever Avenue as part of the Delaware 202 routing, the fact of the matter is that Vandever Avenue is not and never was a part of the state highway.
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| Vandever Avenue East |
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| The first signal along Vandever Avenue eastbound resides at the intersection with Jessup Street five blocks southeast of U.S. 13 Business & Delaware 202. 30" street level traffic lights remain in use at the residential intersection. These and other ground level signals posted along Vandever Avenue remain in service since installation in the 1960s and 1970s. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Pine Street stems northward from the 16th Street Bridge over the Brandywine River into East Lawn from Eastside Wilmington. The northbound only street splits from Jessup Street at the north end of the span to intersect Vandever Avenue two blocks to the north. Pictured here is Vandever Avenue eastbound at Pine Street. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Three blocks east of the Pine Street intersection on Vandever Avenue is the signalized intersection with Locust Street. Locust Street flows southbound between East 27th Street and East 14th Street. Brown Burton Winchester Park is bound by Locust Street two blocks north of Vandever Avenue. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Vandever Avenue crosses Thatcher Street and intersects U.S. 13 (Northeast Boulevard). The streetscaping project of Northeast Boulevard upgraded the Vandever Avenue crossing of U.S. 13 from a stop sign controlled intersection into a signalized one. Vandever Avenue continues another three blocks to Railroad Avenue beyond Northeast Boulevard. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
| Vandever Avenue West |
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One block west of U.S. 13 (Northeast Boulevard) is a stop sign and flashers at the intersection with Thatcher Street. Thatcher Street slices across U.S. 13 from East 11th Street to East 26th Street. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Vandever Avenue westbound at Locust Street. Some of the street level signals were replaced with modern signals in the early 2000s such as the assemblies to the left. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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A span wire assembly of traffic signals governs the movements of Vandever Avenue and Church Street in East Lawn. Church Street is a part of U.S. 13 in the Eastside section of the city. North of the Brandywine Creek, the northbound only street carries local traffic between East 13th Street and East 23rd Street at Brown Burton Winchester Park. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Westbound Vandever Avenue at Pine Street. Although Pine Street travels one-way to the north, signals face northward. Many of the older signal ground level assemblies throughout the city of Wilmington double as pedestrian signals. Therefore lights facing the wrong way of traffic are in place as crosswalk signals. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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One block west of the Pine Street signals are the signals at Jessup Street. Jessup Street provides access to the 16th Street Bridge over the Brandywine Creek into Eastside Wilmington. From there motorists can utilize East 16th Street to reach downtown via U.S. 13 Business (King Street). Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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The west end of Vandever Avenue coincides with the south end of Delaware 202 (Concord Avenue). U.S. 13 Business (Market Street) bisects the two streets between downtown Wilmington and Philadelphia Pike. There are no signs for either U.S. 13 Business or Delaware 202 posted along Vandever Avenue westbound. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
| Washington Street |
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Washington Street northbound at 28th Street in the East Lawn neighborhood of the city. Photo taken 04/09/04. |
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Several ground level traffic lights remain in use along Washington Street north of Delaware 202 (Concord Avenue). Pictured here is the northbound intersection with 34th Street. Photo taken 04/09/04 |
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An unusual configuration facilitates the movements between Washington Street and the Matson Run Parkways. A rotary joins the four roadways at these mast arm traffic signals. Photo taken 04/09/04. |
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Washington Street exits the Wilmington city limits at Lea Boulevard. The two-lane street becomes a four-lane divided highway en route to Delaware 3 (Marsh Road) and U.S. 13 Business (Philadelphia Pike). Photo taken 04/09/04 |
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Washington Street southbound at Lea Boulevard at the Wilmington city line. Photo taken 04/21/04. |
| Miscellaneous Traffic Light Photographs |
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The angled intersection of Beech Street and Delaware 4 (Maryland Avenue). Beech Street links the Christina Riverfront area with Browntown underneath Interstate 95. Photo taken 07/00. |
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An array of street level and horizontally orientated traffic signals govern the movements of Church Street northbound at Fourth Street (U.S. 13 & Delaware 9) in Eastside Wilmington. U.S. 13 northbound turns northward onto Church Street from Fourth Street. Southbound U.S. 13 joins Delaware 9 one block to the west via Spruce Street southbound. Amtrak's Northeast Corridor passes overhead of the Church and Fourth Street intersection adjacent to Christina Park. Photo taken 08/10/04. |
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Lovering Avenue ascends from Brandywine Park underneath the CSX Railroad bridge to Augustine Cutoff. Augustine Cutoff links northeast Wilmington with U.S. 202 (Concord Pike). Photo taken 03/29/04. |
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The greenery is lush in this Delaware Avenue northbound scene of the Rodney Street intersection near Trolley Square. Photo taken 04/21/04. |
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The west end of Greenhill Avenue occurs at Delaware 48 (Lancaster Avenue) in northwest Wilmington. Photo taken 04/30/04. |
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The final traffic light of Fourth Street northbound exists at the intersection of Greenhill Avenue. Pictured here is Greenhill Avenue southbound at Fourth Street. Photo taken 04/30/04. |
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Lea Boulevard composes the Wilmington city line between U.S. 13 Business and Broom Street. Pictured here is the northbound intersection at Monroe Street. Photo taken 04/21/04. |
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Scott Street eastbound at Delaware Avenue one block north of Trolley Square. Photo taken 04/21/04. |
Sources:
1 - "Vision for Wilmington: Deck over I-95." The News Journal (Wilmington, DE), May 12, 2004.
2 - "Reinvented again, city seeks a social core." The News Journal (Wilmington, DE), December 22, 2003.
3 - Delaware Historic Bridges, Delaware Department of Transportation.
4 - Moore, Carl.
5 - Froehlig, Adam.
6 - Droz, Robert.
7 - Alex B.
Page Updated September 23, 2007
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