Delaware

[74/171FAN]

(For US 9 TRUCK)  TRAFFIC ALERT - Sussex County - Road Closure of South Bedford Street between Zoar Road and Park Avenue

(For DE 54)  Bridge 3-437 on Lighthouse Rd over Assawoman Bay Public Workshop

[74/171FAN]

(For I-95 and DE 273)  TRAFFIC ALERT - New Castle County - UPDATE--I-95/Rt 273 Ramp to Close for Two Nights

(For DE 8 and DE 15)  TRAFFIC ALERT - Kent County - Signal Activation at the Intersection of SR 8 (Forrest Avenue) and SR 15 (Saulsbury Road)

[Alex]

Cary Todd shared this Facebook post with me showing this 1941 photo of US 13/202 cutouts on Front Street in Wilmington. Looking at some of the map scans I have on the site, I believe the intersection to be French Street instead of Walnut Street as the post references, since U.S. 13 used French Street at that time.



If Front Street was one way east at that time, did US 202 northbound follow US 13 to 4th Street/SR 48 to connect with West Street north?

[elsmere241]

That map and photo seem to produce more questions than answers for me.  (Especially since I do street centerlines for New Castle County these days.)

I can almost see my current house on the map, though.

[ixnay]

Cary Todd shared this Facebook post with me showing this 1941 photo of US 13/202 cutouts on Front Street in Wilmington. Looking at some of the map scans I have on the site, I believe the intersection to be French Street instead of Walnut Street as the post references, since U.S. 13 used French Street at that time.

Per Historic Aerials, French St. still existed between 2nd and 8th in 1970, though almost total demolition along both sides of those blocks had taken place by then.  By 1991 French St. was gone between 2nd and 8th.

As for Walnut St., IIRC the Walnut St. drawbridge wasn't built until the '50s.  I guess 13 (now Bus. 13) received its one way NB (via Walnut)/SB via King and South Market) pairing upon that bridge's completion.

And notice that Maryland Av. wasn't signed as DE 4 in 1941, and DE 9 didn't exist designationwise, at least in Wilmington.

[elsmere241]

When MBNA built their downtown Wilmington campus in the late 1990s, taking over four square blocks and taking out at least a couple of cemeteries, they wanted to remove the one block of French Street that would run between blocks.  The compromise was to downgrade it to cobblestones.

Incidentally, Bank of America is now looking to sell all four buildings.  I wonder how long they'll last - Wilmington is going through a lot of redevelopment and I've seen some creative things done with other former MBNA campuses around here.

[Dough4872]

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2023/07/20/where-new-emoji-radar-speed-signs-will-be-installed-in-delaware/70432736007/ DelDOT using emojis on speed limit radar signs lol.

[74/171FAN]

(For DE 299) TRAFFIC ALERT - New Castle County - Traffic Switch on Rt 299 in Middletown

(For I-95 and DE 896) TRAFFIC ALERT - New Castle County - I-95/896 Interchange-Upcoming Lane and Ramp Closures

[Alex4897]

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2023/07/20/where-new-emoji-radar-speed-signs-will-be-installed-in-delaware/70432736007/ DelDOT using emojis on speed limit radar signs lol.

They have these on PA 41 heading into Chatham in both directions, I have to admit they've always made me feel bad about going too quick through the village

[74/171FAN]

TRAFFIC ALERT - New Castle County - James Street Bridge Closure

[tmoore952]

"And notice that Maryland Av. wasn't signed as DE 4 in 1941, and DE 9 didn't exist designationwise, at least in Wilmington."

First post here, native Wilmingtonian (born there 1967). Probably didn't do quoting correctly, sorry about that.

Anyway, my late father was hired by DuPont in 1950 and moved to Wilmington then. He had some old maps that I haven't seen in a while, but I remember this much (what I write below).

At that time, Delaware 4 was what was later Delaware 299 going west of Middletown and ending at the state line just east of Warwick MD. This made a lot more sense to me since it was more like halfway between Delaware 2 in Wilmington-Newark corridor, and the Delaware 6 corridor at the New Castle County/Kent County line (as opposed to now (and the 50 years I can remember back)) where Delaware 2 and 4 are a couple miles from each other, and Delaware 6 is 40(?)+ miles south. I do not remember if Delaware 4 went east of Middletown, but I'm sure some website can answer that question.

Delaware 48 went down what is now Christina Avenue all the way down to what is now the Port of Wilmington --  on the south side of where the Christina River goes into the Delaware River (not far downstream from current I-495 bridge over Christina River). At the end of Delaware 48 was the ferry terminal to Penns Grove. This was one of (if not the only one, not sure about that) the ferries that the Delaware Memorial Bridge (opened 1951) replaced.

I do not know about Delaware 9 at that time.

[Alex]

"And notice that Maryland Av. wasn't signed as DE 4 in 1941, and DE 9 didn't exist designationwise, at least in Wilmington."

First post here, native Wilmingtonian (born there 1967). Probably didn't do quoting correctly, sorry about that.

Delaware 48 went down what is now Christina Avenue all the way down to what is now the Port of Wilmington --  on the south side of where the Christina River goes into the Delaware River (not far downstream from current I-495 bridge over Christina River). At the end of Delaware 48 was the ferry terminal to Penns Grove. This was one of (if not the only one, not sure about that) the ferries that the Delaware Memorial Bridge (opened 1951) replaced.

I do not know about Delaware 9 at that time.

Welcome to the board! Also was born in Wilmington.

I have a lot on Delaware State Route history covered on the main site.

SR 9 only went as far as Smyrna until sometime in the late 50s. The 1959-60 Delaware Official Map is the first to show SR 9 north to Wilmington.



1956 map

Including the ferry, Delaware State Route 48 was part of a multi state highway with New Jersey Route 48.

[74/171FAN]

(For DE 8 and DE 15)  TRAFFIC ALERT - Kent County - Closure of SR 8 (Forrest Avenue)

[Tonytone]

Welcome to the forum, glad to have you here.

A question for both you & max, were there any trolley routes still around when you guys were coming up? it's sad Wilmington removed every trolley from the city, they should have at least kept two lines.

[74/171FAN]

(For DE 141)  TRAFFIC ALERT - New Castle County - Road Closure of South James St between East Water St and Old Airport Road Ramps to SR 141

[tmoore952]

Welcome to the forum, glad to have you here.

A question for both you & max, were there any trolley routes still around when you guys were coming up? it's sad Wilmington removed every trolley from the city, they should have at least kept two lines.

I can remember back to about 1970-71. I do not remember any trolley lines in Wilmington.
I have older siblings I can ask, but I'll have to remember to do so.

[74/171FAN]

(For DE 896)  TRAFFIC ALERT - New Castle County - Nighttime Lane Restrictions on Rt 896 at Corporate Boulevard

[74/171FAN]

TRAFFIC ALERT - Sussex County - Traffic Signal Activation at US 9 (Freeman Highway) at Monroe Ave - White's Pond Meadow

[ixnay]

TRAFFIC ALERT - Sussex County - Traffic Signal Activation at US 9 (Freeman Highway) at Monroe Ave - White's Pond Meadow

Anticipating added traffic from the Olde Town development now under construction.  The Lewes library is at that intersection too, as are the access points to two rail trails (one going to Rehoboth, the other currently going west to Harbeson but slated to go on to Georgetown).

https://www.capegazette.com/article/new-monroe-freeman-traffic-signal-goes-live-aug-7/262296

[Alex4897]

TRAFFIC ALERT - Sussex County - Traffic Signal Activation at US 9 (Freeman Highway) at Monroe Ave - White's Pond Meadow

Anticipating added traffic from the Olde Town development now under construction.  The Lewes library is at that intersection too, as are the access points to two rail trails (one going to Rehoboth, the other currently going west to Harbeson but slated to go on to Georgetown).

https://www.capegazette.com/article/new-monroe-freeman-traffic-signal-goes-live-aug-7/262296

Any reason they're calling it 'temporary'? The Kings Highway widening project that's on the horizon doesn't reach that far up US 9 so I can't think of any reason as to why it'd be temporary.

[ixnay]

Dolle's Candyland in downtown Rehoboth Beach has seen its production needs outgrow its space a couple of doors off the boardwalk (Dolle's used to be right on the boards at Rehoboth Avenue [nw corner]).

Dolle's recenly moved its production of salt water taffy and other candies to a new facility about 11 miles up DE 1, just south of the Broadkill River crossing, with a Milton, DE address.

https://www.capegazette.com/article/dolle%E2%80%99s-moves-candy-making-part-business-outside-milton/261599

https://www.wrde.com/news/dolles-candyland-brings-production-to-milton/article_1ea13012-316e-11ee-9286-3f0b94f58d4a.html

And to make this road related, let me quote the WRDE Coast TV article...

Even though production is now in Milton, purchasing of the sweet treats will still have to be done at the Rehoboth Beach location.

A storefront was a part of the original plans for the new production facility, but was denied by DelDOT because it falls within the Corridor Capacity Preservation Program. According to [Dolle's owner Tom] Ibach, DelDOT said retail at the site would cause too much congestion on this part of the highway.

Italics are mine, and I agree with DelDOT's thinking.

DelDOT's corridor protection program link is at https://deldot.gov/Programs/corr_cap/index.shtml

[74/171FAN]

US 13 and Brenford / Big Oak Rd. Public Workshop

[74/171FAN]

TRAFFIC ALERT - New Castle County - Airport Road Closed Indefinitely

[Dough4872]

TRAFFIC ALERT - New Castle County - Airport Road Closed Indefinitely

This road always has issues with flooding, time to fix it to make it more resistant to floods.

[74/171FAN]

Baynard Boulevard Public Workshop