Why is DE 1 not an interstate?

[epzik8]

I-87, if you can get MD and VA on board (spoiler alert: you probably can't).

We're definitely not getting I-87.

[vdeane]

I-87, if you can get MD and VA on board (spoiler alert: you probably can't).

We're definitely not getting I-87.

Too bad nobody told AASHTO that when NC originally requested I-89.  Perhaps then they would have done the sensible thing and forced NCDOT to accept an even 2di instead of assigning I-87 instead.

[tmoore952]

Whatever. This thread is about Delaware Route 1 not being an interstate. There are other threads about NC interstates.


Bottom line is DE thinks different and it's their personal preference not to incorporate this particular freeway into the interstate system like some states do, or as the OP was just curious about this route in particular.  I'm incline to agree with some, that every freeway don't need to be interstate, but that don't make me hate a state that wants more interstates either.

Being from Delaware originally, I am perfectly happy with it not being an interstate.

But if that were to happen "today", with what has been built "today", it would seem to me a odd spur of I-95 would be more appropriate.
I-99 would be way off in the future, if ever, probably depending on what MD and VA do.

[abqtraveler]

Regardless of whether DE-1 ever becomes and interstate, I think it would make total sense to extend US-301 north from its present terminus (where it merges into DE-1 just south of the bridge over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal) to I-95, or to another US route nearby. It seems counterintuitive for US-301 to abruptly end at a state route where there are plenty of US and interstate routes nearby for it to end at.

[tmoore952]

Regardless of whether DE-1 ever becomes and interstate, I think it would make total sense to extend US-301 north from its present terminus (where it merges into DE-1 just south of the bridge over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal) to I-95, or to another US route nearby. It seems counterintuitive for US-301 to abruptly end at a state route where there are plenty of US and interstate routes nearby for it to end at.

US 301 in Delaware has had about 4 or 5 different termini over the last 60 years. (and going even further back, before it crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, it used to go due north from Bowie MD to Baltimore, and ended at parent US 1 there).

I had a whole post written up listing many of these Delaware termini, but it got lost. The common thread among most of these different termini is that they ended at US 13 at one place or another. However, I believe the first such termini was at I-295 which included a concurrency along US 13, but the concurrency was discontinued (around 1970?).

I thought though, that at some point (maybe very early in this century), that US 301 was supposed to be extended in a northerly direction from Middletown, to an interchange with I-95 between the present Exit 1 (DE 896) and Exit 3 (DE 273) --- and be Exit 2. I guess that fell by the wayside??

WRT to US 301's current terminus (which I have not yet seen as I don't get up that way much now), I always thought US 13 would be rerouted onto DE 1 at some point, as the old bridge at St. Georges which US 13 used (and continues to use?) is very old. If that ever happens, US 301 would (once again) end at US 13.

[roadman65]

Regardless of whether DE-1 ever becomes and interstate, I think it would make total sense to extend US-301 north from its present terminus (where it merges into DE-1 just south of the bridge over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal) to I-95, or to another US route nearby. It seems counterintuitive for US-301 to abruptly end at a state route where there are plenty of US and interstate routes nearby for it to end at.

US 113 is another. It for many years ended at its parent at both ends, but recently got truncated to DE 1 at Milford to avoid a two route concurrency between Milford and Dover, in which for some reason AASHTO approved.  So now it also, like US 301, ends at DE 1 shy of US 13.

[74/171FAN]

WRT to US 301's current terminus (which I have not yet seen as I don't get up that way much now), I always thought US 13 would be rerouted onto DE 1 at some point, as the old bridge at St. Georges which US 13 used (and continues to use?) is very old. If that ever happens, US 301 would (once again) end at US 13.

I have heard it was planned at one point, but I think local opposition kept US 13 on the old bridge (at least for now).  Though I do not remember seeing documentation stating that plans were to demolish the old bridge.

[Alex4897]

WRT to US 301's current terminus (which I have not yet seen as I don't get up that way much now), I always thought US 13 would be rerouted onto DE 1 at some point, as the old bridge at St. Georges which US 13 used (and continues to use?) is very old. If that ever happens, US 301 would (once again) end at US 13.

I have heard it was planned at one point, but I think local opposition kept US 13 on the old bridge (at least for now).  Though I do not remember seeing documentation stating that plans were to demolish the old bridge.

The St. Georges Bridge is currently closed for another round of maintenance work too, so odds are it'll continue to serve US 13 for the foreseeable future.

[tmoore952]

WRT to US 301's current terminus (which I have not yet seen as I don't get up that way much now), I always thought US 13 would be rerouted onto DE 1 at some point, as the old bridge at St. Georges which US 13 used (and continues to use?) is very old. If that ever happens, US 301 would (once again) end at US 13.

I have heard it was planned at one point, but I think local opposition kept US 13 on the old bridge (at least for now).  Though I do not remember seeing documentation stating that plans were to demolish the old bridge.

The St. Georges Bridge is currently closed for another round of maintenance work too, so odds are it'll continue to serve US 13 for the foreseeable future.

So how do they route US 13 in the meantime? (not knowing the timeline of this work)

Having been to the town of St. Georges many years ago, IIRC I remember the bridge going literally over part of the town, so I hope they keep that bridge maintained if it will continue to be used.

[74/171FAN]

Noting the closure:  https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=372.msg2810731;topicseen#msg2810731

I believe US 13 traffic is just routed onto DE 1 in the area.

[Dough4872]

Regardless of whether or not DE 1 becomes an Interstate (hint: it won't), DE 1's exits should be converted from kilometer-based to mile-based. I understand why Interstate 19 has kilometer-based exit numbers, but DE 1 should never have had them, especially the exits south of DE 9.

The exits south of DE 9 are based on miles that are offset from the kilometer-based exits on the toll road, For example, the DE 12 interchange in North Frederica is Exit 86 and is not at the 86 km marker along the road.

[abqtraveler]

Regardless of whether or not DE 1 becomes an Interstate (hint: it won't), DE 1's exits should be converted from kilometer-based to mile-based. I understand why Interstate 19 has kilometer-based exit numbers, but DE 1 should never have had them, especially the exits south of DE 9.

The exits south of DE 9 are based on miles that are offset from the kilometer-based exits on the toll road, For example, the DE 12 interchange in North Frederica is Exit 86 and is not at the 86 km marker along the road.

The kilometer-based exits on the toll section of DE-1 are a relic of when the Clinton Administration was trying to push the US toward metrification in the 1990s. I-19 was originally signed with mile-based exits and mileposts, but changed to kilometer-based in the 1980s. In I-19's case that switch to metric units was due to its proximity to Mexico. There are also some highways in northern New England near the Canadian border that have dual mile/kilometer signage.

[jeffandnicole]

Regardless of whether DE-1 ever becomes and interstate, I think it would make total sense to extend US-301 north from its present terminus (where it merges into DE-1 just south of the bridge over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal) to I-95, or to another US route nearby. It seems counterintuitive for US-301 to abruptly end at a state route where there are plenty of US and interstate routes nearby for it to end at.

I wouldn't say it's an abrupt end - it ends at an interchange with a major highway. Going any further gives it a meaningless overlap.

WRT to US 301's current terminus (which I have not yet seen as I don't get up that way much now), I always thought US 13 would be rerouted onto DE 1 at some point, as the old bridge at St. Georges which US 13 used (and continues to use?) is very old. If that ever happens, US 301 would (once again) end at US 13.

I have heard it was planned at one point, but I think local opposition kept US 13 on the old bridge (at least for now).  Though I do not remember seeing documentation stating that plans were to demolish the old bridge.

Yep - the new DE 1 bridge was to replace the US 13 bridge, not supplement it. Locals demanded the bridge stay. Now Delaware spends a lot of money on maintaining a bridge that has long exceeded its expected lifespan. The current appreciation for biking allows it to be a bike route across the canal, although that's because it can be used as a bike route, not that it had to be used.

[RobbieL2415]

DE 1 doesn't need to be an interstate.

It has literally the highest most prominent state route number. It doesn't need further emphasis.

Now, if you wanna talk about a US 13 freeway beginning at DE 1 and running down the Delmarva to Virginia Beach, then I would say there should be in interstate designation.

[1995hoo]

DE 1 doesn't need to be an interstate.

It has literally the highest state route number. It doesn't need further emphasis.

Now, if you wanna talk about a US 13 freeway beginning at DE 1 and running down the Delmarva to Virginia Beach, then I would say there should be in interstate designation.

DE-896 might disagree with the boldfaced.

[Alps]

DE 1 doesn't need to be an interstate.

It has literally the highest state route number. It doesn't need further emphasis.

Now, if you wanna talk about a US 13 freeway beginning at DE 1 and running down the Delmarva to Virginia Beach, then I would say there should be in interstate designation.

DE-896 might disagree with the boldfaced.

highest as in #1 is higher than #2 in sports

[GaryV]

DE 1 doesn't need to be an interstate.

It has literally the highest state route number. It doesn't need further emphasis.

Now, if you wanna talk about a US 13 freeway beginning at DE 1 and running down the Delmarva to Virginia Beach, then I would say there should be in interstate designation.

DE-896 might disagree with the boldfaced.

highest as in #1 is higher than #2 in sports

So you've just "proven" that DE 1 is a "better" number than any (likely) 3-digit Interstate could be.

[kphoger]

So you've just "proven" that DE 1 is a "better" number than any (likely) 3-digit Interstate could be.

Only if that also means the #1 little league baseball team in northwestern Oklahoma is better than the #4 NBA team east of the Mississippi.

[1995hoo]

DE 1 doesn't need to be an interstate.

It has literally the highest state route number. It doesn't need further emphasis.

Now, if you wanna talk about a US 13 freeway beginning at DE 1 and running down the Delmarva to Virginia Beach, then I would say there should be in interstate designation.

DE-896 might disagree with the boldfaced.

highest as in #1 is higher than #2 in sports

I've never viewed road numbers in that way. Maybe that's just me, or maybe it's a function of living on the East Coast where I-95 is more or less the "main street," as it were.

[jmacswimmer]

Regardless of whether DE-1 ever becomes and interstate, I think it would make total sense to extend US-301 north from its present terminus (where it merges into DE-1 just south of the bridge over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal) to I-95, or to another US route nearby. It seems counterintuitive for US-301 to abruptly end at a state route where there are plenty of US and interstate routes nearby for it to end at.

I wouldn't say it's an abrupt end - it ends at an interchange with a major highway. Going any further gives it a meaningless overlap.

Taking this a little further - there may not be a direct connection, but US 13 is directly adjacent to DE 1 (and then merges in a few miles north) at the northern terminus of US 301. Sure it's technically ending at a state route and not the US route, but I'd still consider this as terminating along the US 13 corridor (and this stretch of DE 1 was built as the bypass of US 13, after all).

[The Ghostbuster]

I think Exit 156 should be modified so that US 13 has to exit instead of DE 1 exiting to continue onward. Could it be done without too many right-of-way acquisitions?

[74/171FAN]

All I see on DelDOT's website right now at Exit 156 is fixing the SB merge.

I remember there being plans to refurbish that interchange in the long-term, but I could not find information in the DE thread via a quick forum search.  (Alex4897, do you remember this?)

[Alex4897]

All I see on DelDOT's website right now at Exit 156 is fixing the SB merge.

I remember there being plans to refurbish that interchange in the long-term, but I could not find information in the DE thread via a quick forum search.  (Alex4897, do you remember this?)

Yeah we talked about this here, and here's the project page.



The long-term refurb isn't much of an overhaul for SR 1 traffic, the project's mostly aimed at cleaning up problems along US 13.

[tmoore952]

I think Exit 156 should be modified so that US 13 has to exit instead of DE 1 exiting to continue onward. Could it be done without too many right-of-way acquisitions?

Stating the obvious, that DE 1 was built after US 13 and also in stages. Also IIRC, the part from Exit 156 north opened earlier than anything south of there (wrt new DE 1 construction), so maybe they were limited in what they could do? Different construction contracts or something? (I'm not a civil engineer, not my area of expertise)

I remember when it was being built, and not knowing any better, that maybe DE 1 would continue straight across US 13 and therefore (what is now) Exit 156 would have been like any other exit.

[elsmere241]

I remember seeing the plans for what would become DE 1 south of Tybouts Corner in the Newark Free Library, when I was in high school.  They didn't think at the time that there was any need to change that interchange, or upgrade US 13 north of there, because US 13 had enough "relief" up to that point.