State Route 1 South - Smyrna to Dover

SR 1 southbound reaches the beginning of the Dover-Smyrna Bypass portion of the turnpike system. The 21 mile long section initially opened to traffic on December 18, 1993 around Smyrna, and fully south to Dover A.F.B. three days later.

12/26/22

Rehoboth Beach is 53 miles to the south along SR 1.

12/26/22

SR 1 continues south over Duck Creek and into Kent County. Heavy development lies to the south of both Smyrna and adjacent Clayton as explosive suburban growth converted many farms into new neighborhoods.

12/26/22

12/21/22

SR 1 once again has direct access with U.S. 13 (DuPont Boulevard) on the south side of Smyrna. U.S. 13 comprises the main commercial strip through Smyrna.

12/21/22

Points of interest referenced from Exit 114 include the Smyrna Opera House and Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, located to the east along SR 9.

12/21/22

Smyrna Leipsic Road (Road 12) spans SR 1 a half mile north of Exit 114. Smyrna Leipsic Road originally was the final leg of SR 9 as the state route ended in Smyrna from the south.

12/21/22

Tolls are collected along Exit 114 from SR 1 southbound to U.S. 13 (Dupont Boulevard). The toll road remains east of U.S. 13 southward from Exit 119.

12/21/22

Removed by 2020, this confirming shield preceded the Big Oak Road (Road 325) underpass along SR 1 south.

12/31/16

The next exit departs in five miles for Dover, but Downtown remains at least ten miles away.

12/21/22

SR 1 curves across the Leipsic River and then Alston Branch east of Garrison Lake and Bethel.

12/21/22

Long distance travelers headed to Salisbury, Maryland and Norfolk, Virginia are advised to remain on SR 1 south to Exit 97 for the Puncheon Run Connector (Road 150A) rather than departing for U.S. 13 at Exit 104.

12/26/22

A second trumpet interchange (Exit 104) and short access road links SR 1 with U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) north of the capital city by Dover Mall.

12/26/22

SR 1 advances to within a half mile of Exit 104 for U.S. 13 and Scarborough Road (Road 294). Referencing the Scarborough Road connection with SR 8 (Forest Street) by way of SR 15, Exit 104 was formerly marked as SR 8 Alternate.

12/21/22

Exit 104 departs SR 1 south to Scarborough Road and U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) in north Dover. A heavily developed commercial arterial, U.S. 13 travels southward to Dover Mall, Dover Motor Speedway and Dover Downs Casino and Horse Racing facility.

12/21/22

Areas surrounding the trumpet interchange with U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) and Scarborough Road (Rd 294) grew tremendously following the opening of SR 1 in 1993.

12/30/17

Additional points of interest for U.S. 13 in north Dover include the Delaware State Troopers Museum and State Police Troop, the Delaware Agricultural Museum, the Biggs Museum of American Art, Museum Square, the Public Archives and the State House Museum.

08/17/21

Colleges served by Exit 104 and U.S. 13 include Delaware State University, Wesley College, the Delaware Technical & Community College Terry campus and Wilmington University Dover campus.

12/30/17

The access road from Exit 104 to U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) connects with Scarborough Road west to SR 15 (McKee Road) along the west side of Dover. Spanning the Fork Branch and a Conrail line, Scarborough Road was completed in 1999.

08/17/21

U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) north connects with SR 42 (Main Street) west into the town of Cheswold in 2.05 miles.

12/30/17

SR 1 passes between Leipsic Road (Road 88) and the north side of Dover Motor Speedway over the next mile.

12/26/22

Diagrammatic signs precede the forthcoming Dover toll plaza along SR 1 southbound. High-speed E-ZPass lanes were constructed here in 2004.

12/21/22

Dover Motor Speedway opened on July 6, 1969. Nicknamed the "Monster Mile", the track is home to two NASCAR Cup Series races per year and seats 54,000.

12/26/22

One half mile north of the Dover main line toll plaza along SR 1 south near the Dover Leipsic Road overpass. E-ZPass account holders are directed to stay on the mainline to bypass the conventional toll booths positioned along the outside lanes.

12/21/22

Variable toll rates are charged along SR 1 at both Biddles Corner and Dover. As of August 1, 2014, the rates range from $1.00 per passenger vehicle for weekdays and $3.00 on weekends.

12/21/22

The initial toll increase along SR 1 took place on October 1, 2007. The increase was passed by legislators to increase funds available for the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT).

12/21/22

Two E-ZPass lanes operate in each direction of SR 1 at the Dover toll plaza. Speed limits remain at 65 miles per hour through the all electronic toll (AET) collection point.

12/21/22

SR 8 (Little Creek Road) crosses below SR 1 one mile south of the Dover toll plaza. The state route runs west to Downtown Dover via Division Street.

12/26/22

A pair of shields stand beyond the toll plaza along SR 1 south at the White Oak Road overpass.

12/21/22

Exit 98 opened to traffic on September 5, 2002. The ramps with SR 8 were previously constructed in 1993 for use by emergency and maintenance vehicles. A three month, $636,000 project converted them for general use to improve access between the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway and Downtown Dover.¹

12/21/22

Traffic to SR 8 (Little Creek Road) departs SR 1 south at a half diamond interchange (Exit 98). Traveling 17.15 miles overall from state line at Marydel, SR 8 ends three miles to the east at SR 9 in the town of Little Creek.

12/21/22

The forthcoming Puncheon Run Connector was built to provide high speed access between SR 1 and U.S. 13 for motorists destined to Seaford, Georgetown, Salisbury, Virginia's Eastern Shore and the Hampton Roads area.

12/21/22

The Puncheon Run Connector opened to traffic on December 19, 2000 as part of the SR 1 expressway system. The 2.6 mile long toll free route allows motorists to bypass a commercial stretch of U.S. 13 through Dover for Sussex County and points south.

12/21/22

Interests to Dover A.F.B. are provided with three entry points into the facility. The truck gate was changed to the North Gate between 2004 and 2007; the Main Gate remains accessible via Exit 93 and the commercial gate, accessible from northbound only at Exit 92, requires truckers to U-turn at SR 9 (Exit 91).

12/21/22

SR 1 splits with the Puncheon Run Connector at Exit 97. The freeway spur concludes at an at-grade intersection with U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) between State Street and Webbs Lane.
A partial diamond interchange follows with Bay Road (former U.S. 113) south to SR 10 (Lebanon Road).

12/21/22

Exit 95 to Bay Road and SR 10 leaves SR 1 beyond the Puncheon Run Connector northbound return ramp. Bay Road was designated U.S. 113 until February of 2004, when AASHTO approved a DelDOT application to truncate the route southward from Dover to Milford, eliminating the overlapped segment with SR 1.

12/26/22

The off-ramp at Exit 95 ties into Bay Road (old U.S. 113) opposite President Drive. Bay Road constitutes an arterial route north to Blue Hen Corporate Center and U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) east of Downtown Dover. Southward the arterial heads to the North Gate of Dover A.F.B. and the east end of SR 10 (Lebanon Road). SR 10 winds west from Bay Road to Wyoming and Camden.

12/26/22

U.S. 113 originally joined SR 1 (Bay Road) for a short overlap on the southernmost segment of freeway.

06/18/12

One mile north of the Main Gate (Exit 93) to Dover Air Force Base on SR 1 southbound.

06/18/12

A reassurance marker appears as SR 1 passes alongside the Dover A.F.B. military housing area. The expressway overlays Bay Road from this point southward.

06/18/12

Exit 93 for the Dover Air Force Base main gate opened in 1998. The diamond interchange replaced a signalized intersection along U.S. 113/SR 1 (Bay Road). The delayed opening resulted from compromises between DelDOT and Dover A.F.B. officials in how to best reconfigure the traffic pattern here.

12/27/17

An auxiliary lane gained from the SR 10 entrance ramp departs at Exit 93 for Old Lebanon Road to the Dover A.F.B. Main Gate. The commercial gate follows to the south.

12/27/17

Exit 93 parts ways with SR 1 south for Old Lebanon Road west to the adjacent military housing area and 13th Street north beyond the Dover A.F.B. Main Gate.

12/27/17

Leaving the Dover A.F.B. are, SR 1 (Bay Road) runs alongside Eagle Creek Golf Club. Speed limits increased to 60 mph here in January 2017.

12/27/17

Replacing an at-grade intersection when it opened on September 30, 2009, a diamond interchange (Exit 91) joins SR 1 with the south end of SR 9 (Bayside Drive) in one mile.

12/27/17

Milford lies 14 miles south of the SR 1 exchange with SR 9 at south Dover.

12/27/17

A right in right out (RIRO) intersection connects SR 1 southbound with the driveway for a construction materials business.

12/27/17

SR 9 winds around the east side of Dover A.F.B. to Postles Corner. The rural highway continues north to the small towns of Little Creek and Leipsic as part of its scenic route north to Delaware City and New Castle.

12/27/17

Exit 91 leaves SR 1 (Bay Road) south for SR 9 (Bayside Drive) north and Kitts Hummock Road east to Kitts Hummock along Delaware Bay. Trucks bound for the Dover A.F.B. commercial gate are directed onto the northbound on-ramp to access Exit 92.

12/27/17

Confirming marker posted along the SR 1 southward turn from SR 9 toward the St. Jones River.

12/27/17

The forthcoming St. Jones River is considered the south end of the limited access portion for SR 1.

12/27/17