State Route 72 South

The distance sign and first confirming marker for SR 72 south from SR 7 were both removed after 2015.

12/24/18

This distance sign was posted at the southbound beginning of SR 72 (Paper Mill Road). Corner Ketch is a subdivision located less than three miles to the northwest of SR 72 via Corner Ketch Road. Milford Crossroads is where SR 72 turns south onto Possum Park Road.

12/23/12

The first confirming marker appeared as SR 72 (Paper Mill Road) descends around 140 feet in elevation between SR 7 (Limestone Road) and a bridge across Pike Creek.

12/23/12

Traffic lights operate at the entrance to Independence School from SR 72 just ahead of Pike Creek. These mast arms replaced a span wire assembly after 2012.

12/24/18

North Star Road leads south from Valley Road and the Hockessin vicinity to become Upper Pike Creek Road at SR 72 (Paper Mill Road). Upper Pike Creek Road winds southward alongside Pike Creek to Old Coach Road near the Meadowood community.

12/24/18

SR 72 turns more southerly ahead of the cross roads with Corner Ketch Road north and Polly Drummond Hill Road south. A reassurance shield stands just south of that intersection by Paper Mill Park.

12/24/18

Smith Mill Road leads west into the Possum Hill section of White Clay Creek State Park.

12/24/18

Paper Mill Road arcs southwest between Middle Run Valley Natural Area and the Possum Hill tract of White Clay Creek State Park to Milford Crossroads.

12/24/18

SR 72 continues alongside White Clay Creek State Park past Fox Den Road, a connector east to Polly Drummond Hill Road.

12/24/18

Possum Park Road leads SR 72 southeast to SR 2 (Capitol Trail) as part of its bypass of Newark. Paper Mill Road south to Chapel Street, where a low clearance CSX Railroad bridge crosses, represents the historic alignment to Downtown.

12/24/18

A gradual descent along Possum Park Road leads SR 72 southeast from northeastern reaches of Newark to SR 2 near White Clay Creek.

12/24/18

Replaced with traffic signals in 2022, flashers previously operated along SR 72 (Possum Park Road) at one of the entrances to Holy Angels Roman Catholic Church.

12/29/24

A long straight away takes SR 72 (Possum Park Road) south from the Chapel Hill subdivision to SR 2 (Capitol Trail) on the outskirts of Newark.

12/29/24

The guide sign along SR 72 south referencing SR 2 west to Newark and east to Wilmington was removed by 2023.

12/24/18

SR 72 south combines with SR 2 (Old Capitol Trail) west into Newark.

12/29/24

SR 2 east along Kirkwood Highway constitutes a major arterial route to Pike Creek, Prices Corner, Elsmere and Wilmington.
This shield was replaced by 2023.

12/24/18

The entrance to Liberty Plaza shopping center ties into the intersection joining SR 72 with SR 2 (Capitol Trail).

12/24/18

Crossing White Clay Creek, SR 2/72 (Capitol Trail) westbound enter the city of Newark.

12/29/24

Anna Way (Rd 101) stems south from SR 2/72 (Capitol Trail) into the Stafford neighborhood in east Newark.

12/29/24

SR 2 west and SR 72 south combine for 1.18 miles along Old Capitol Trail into Newark.

12/29/24

SR 2/72 (Capitol Trail) curve south to intersect Cleveland Avenue (Rd 309) and Woodlawn Avenue east ahead of a CSX Railroad overpass. Cleveland Avenue is a minor arterial leading 1.29 miles west to SR 896 (New London Road) and SR 273 (W Main Street).

12/29/24

Span wire overheads directed traffic to Main Street (SR 273 west) from the continuation of SR 72 south onto Library Avenue. This assembly was removed by August 2019.

12/30/18

The Welcome to Newark Rail Bridge Mural was painted in 2005.

12/29/24

SR 72 turns south toward Library Avenue beyond a ramp leading onto SR 273 west along E Main Street to Downtown Newark.

12/29/24

SR 2 ends where SR 72 (Library Avenue) intersects SR 273 at E Main Street and Ogletown Road. SR 273 east comprises a principal arterial to Ogletown, Christiana and New Castle.

12/29/24

SR 72 shifts onto Library Avenue south from SR 273 (Ogletown Road) to S Chapel Street. A confirming marker stands for the route by the Newark Free Library.

12/29/24

E Delaware Avenue ties into SR 72 (Library Avenue) across from the College Square mixed use development. SR 273 eastbound turns north along Library Avenue to connect with Ogletown Road from this intersection.

12/29/24

A trailblazer for SR 72 south and lane drop follow as Library Avenue progresses south from Delaware Avenue to Wyoming Road (Rd 356E).

12/29/24

Wyoming Road west 0.43 miles to S Chapel Street (old SR 72) was constructed in conjunction with Library Avenue in the late 1970s. The collector links SR 72 with E Park Place and the University of Delaware (UD) campus. A 0.29 mile extension of the road east to Marrows Road opened in 1998.

12/29/24

Library Avenue rises to span the AMTRAK Northeast Corridor from Wyoming Road to Farm Lane west and Webb Lane east. Farm Lane leads west to a segment of old Chapel Street and UD's Webb Farm. A HAWK signal was added here in August 2010.

12/29/24

SR 72 continues along S Chapel Street to intersect SR 4 (Chestnut Hill Road) beyond the Newark city limits. Prior to Fall 2013, SR 2 west split with SR 72 south here to accompany SR 4 west to Elkton Road.

12/29/24

Chestnut Hill Road leads SR 4 west to SR 896 (S College Avenue) by the UD sports complex and SR 4 east to Brookside and Ogletown. Overall SR 4 serves commuter and local traffic from south Newark to Stanton, Newport and Wilmington.

12/29/24

An I-95 trailblazer directs motorists from S Chapel Street east onto SR 4 for either S College Avenue or Elkton Road. There is no direct access from SR 72 to the Delaware Turnpike.

12/29/24

SR 72 (S Chapel Street) extends another 9.3 miles southeast from SR 4 (Chestnut Hill Road) to SR 9 (Wrangle Hill Road) outside Delaware City. Dover lies 39 miles to the south via SR 72 and U.S. 13.

12/28/20

Kenmar Drive ties into SR 72 from the Brookside Park subdivision across from Pencader Plaza shopping center at the succeeding traffic light.

12/28/20

I-95 comes into view beyond the traffic light with Bellevue Road west to Diamond State Industrial Park and Dawson Drive east into Delaware Industrial Park.

12/28/20

SR 72 (S Chapel Street) transitions to Sunset Lake Road south of Old Baltimore Pike. Old Baltimore Pike represents a suburban corridor west to MD 281 and east to SR 7 in Christiana.

12/28/20

SR 72 (Sunset Lake Road) reduces from four to two lanes south from Old Baltimore Pike.

12/28/20

U.S. 40 (Pulaski Highway) and SR 72 (Sunset Lake Road) come together at Fox Run Shopping Center in a growing suburban area east of Glasgow and west of Bear.

12/28/20

The US 40/SR 72 Intersection Improvements project from May 2018 to Winter Fall 2021 added an additional lane along SR 72 from GBC Drive south to Del Laws Road.

12/28/20

Dew Laws Road (Rd 401) loops 0.98 miles southwest from SR 72 to Porter Road. The US 40/SR 72 Intersection Improvement Project added a traffic light at this intersection.

12/28/20

Mabel Lane stems west from SR 72 (Wrangle Hill Road) to Caravel Academy and the Caravel Farms development.

12/28/20

Advancing south, SR 72 (Wrangle Hill Road) intersects Porter Road. Porter Road (Rd 400) heads 2.20 miles west to SR 896 (Summit Bridge Road), south of Glasgow, and east to the split with Old Porter Road, which leads east to Red Lion, and north to U.S. 40 at Bear.

12/28/20

SR 72 (Wrangle Hill Road) arcs southeast across a Norfolk Southern Railroad line on the succeeding stretch toward Wrangle Hill and Delaware City.

12/28/20

Road work underway from Summer 2022 to Summer 2024 expanded SR 72 (Wrangle Hill Road) to a five lane boulevard from SR 71 (Red Lion Road) to McCoy Road. Utility relocation for the project started in March 2019.

12/26/24

SR 71 (Red Lion Road) on SR 72 (Wrangle Hill Road) converge south at Williamsburg. Both state routes represent growing suburban corridors southward from U.S. 40.

12/26/24

SR 71 (Red Lion Road) north heads to Red Lion and south to Kirkwood and Lums Pond State Park.

12/26/24

Traffic lights were added along SR 72 at Connell Drive as part of the 2019-24 expansion project.

12/26/24

The signalized entrance to the Sunrise Meadows community serve Kathleen H. Wilbur Elementary on the north side of SR 72 ahead of Wrangle Hill.

12/26/24

SR 72 (Wrangle Hill Road) previously widened to four lanes from McCoy Road east to Dupont Highway through a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) with U.S. 13 north and SR 1.

12/26/24

The DDI at SR 72 and SR 1 was constructed from Spring 2016 to January 2017. The project upgraded the previous diamond interchange to improve traffic flow and safety.

12/26/24

SR 1 travels south from the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal to Odessa, Smyrna and Dover as a limited access toll road. The state route ends as MD 528 between Fenwick Island and Ocean City.

12/26/24

U.S. 13 joins SR 1 north to cross Red Lion Creek between Wrangle Hill and Tybouts Corner.

12/26/22

12/26/24

Beyond Tybouts Corner, U.S. 13/SR 1 separate, with U.S. 13 taking Dupont Highway north to Hares Corner and Wilmington, and SR 1 turning north through Bear to I-95.

12/26/24

U.S. 13 combines with SR 72 (Wrangle Hill Road) south as traffic shifts back to the right to leave the DDI with SR 1.

12/26/24

U.S. 13/SR 72 advance to Dupont Highway and the south end of SR 7. SR 7 was extended in 1995 over what was U.S. 13 north on Dupont Highway to Bear Corbitt Road.

12/26/24

U.S. 13 separates from SR 72 (Wrangle Hill Road) for Dupont Highway south to St. Georges and the St. Georges Bridge.

08/17/21

Paralleling SR 1, SR 7 runs north to Red Lion, Bear and Christiana.

12/26/24

Wrangle Hill Road transitions to agricultural areas on the ensuing stretch leading east toward Delaware City.

12/25/25

SR 72 south to SR 9 north eventually connects with the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

12/25/25

The Delaware City Refinery spreads along the north side of SR 72 and along forthcoming SR 9.

12/23/22

SR 72 ends at the intersection where SR 9 turns from River Road south toward Delaware City.

12/25/25

Clarks Corner Road (Road 378) ties into the signalized junction of SR 9/72 from north St. Georges to the southwest.

12/25/25

SR 9 is a coastal road extending north from the Delaware City refinery complex to New Castle and Wilmington and south from Delaware City to Port Penn, Augustine Beach, Leipsic and Little Creek.

12/25/25

A previous end shield assembly for SR 72 at SR 9.

12/15/99

08/05/07