Delaware Shields

[Alex]

Continuing the OT talk on Delaware signs...

I can remember there being plenty of DE 896 shields like that when I first moved to Newark in 1982.  I also remember seeing a few square state shields in Wilmington.

Have not seen that style for DE 896 in a long long time. Fortunately Michael Summa photographed one in 1976:



There was a square Delaware 2 on Union Street west of Pennsylvania Avenue until the early 90s and another for Delaware 48 on Jackson Street near 2nd Street until the late 80s.

A square for DE-300 was still around in 1994:

[Alps]

Now that this is its own discussion - what's the difference in age between DEL. 2/4 and DELAWARE 300? I never knew of DE using squares.

[Alex]

Now that this is its own discussion - what's the difference in age between DEL. 2/4 and DELAWARE 300? I never knew of DE using squares.

Squares were the first shield design, followed by the DEL circle cutouts leading to today's standard circle.



Earliest shield design.



Used until 1964.



Used from 1964 to the 1970s.

[Alps]

One reason I find this chronology interesting is that NJ briefly had "N.J." state route shields, but by 1965 at the latest (shield on my wall) it went to neutered, so unlike what I'd thought, there's no overlap with DE.

[Alex4897]

I'm a bit curious as to why Delaware would've needed a Sr. 796 shield in the first place.  The only #96 route in DE that ever existed is Sr. 896 to my knowledge.

[NE2]

896 used to be 796 (I haven't seen any maps clearly showing it extending into Delaware, but the shield is pretty good evidence).

ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/Statewide/Historic_OTMs/1930fr.pdf

[Alex]

I'm a bit curious as to why Delaware would've needed a Sr. 796 shield in the first place.  The only #96 route in DE that ever existed is Sr. 896 to my knowledge.

Delaware 796 merely continued Pennsylvania 796 southward. PA 896 truncated PA 796 to where it ends now in 1936 (http://www.pahighways.com/state/PA751-800.html#PA796), so Delaware conformed and renumbered their stretch to 896.

[Alex4897]

I'm a bit curious as to why Delaware would've needed a Sr. 796 shield in the first place.  The only #96 route in DE that ever existed is Sr. 896 to my knowledge.

Delaware 796 merely continued Pennsylvania 796 southward. PA 896 truncated PA 796 to where it ends now in 1936 (http://www.pahighways.com/state/PA751-800.html#PA796), so Delaware conformed and renumbered their stretch to 896.

Ah ok.
Makes sense considering Delawares tendency to number things out of grid for the sake of continuity.

[Alps]

I'm a bit curious as to why Delaware would've needed a Sr. 796 shield in the first place.  The only #96 route in DE that ever existed is Sr. 896 to my knowledge.

Delaware 796 merely continued Pennsylvania 796 southward. PA 896 truncated PA 796 to where it ends now in 1936 (http://www.pahighways.com/state/PA751-800.html#PA796), so Delaware conformed and renumbered their stretch to 896.

Ah ok.
Makes sense considering Delawares tendency to number things out of grid for the sake of continuity.

And yet oddly, so many numbers below 24 hit the border but were never renumbered.

[Alex4897]

I'm a bit curious as to why Delaware would've needed a Sr. 796 shield in the first place.  The only #96 route in DE that ever existed is Sr. 896 to my knowledge.

Delaware 796 merely continued Pennsylvania 796 southward. PA 896 truncated PA 796 to where it ends now in 1936 (http://www.pahighways.com/state/PA751-800.html#PA796), so Delaware conformed and renumbered their stretch to 896.

Ah ok.
Makes sense considering Delawares tendency to number things out of grid for the sake of continuity.

And yet oddly, so many numbers below 24 hit the border but were never renumbered.

Anything in Kent and Sussex besides Rtes. 300, 16, 404, and 54 don't reflect their opposite aide counterparts.  Delaware was apparently only sporadically concerned about it...