Delaware Route 18

Delaware Route 18 marker

Delaware Route 18
Route information
Maintained by DelDOT
Length: 19.38 mi[1] (31.19 km)
Existed: 1936[2] – present
Major junctions
West end: MD 318 east of Federalsburg, MD
  US 13 near Cannon
DE 404 southeast of Bridgeville
US 113 in Georgetown
East end: US 9 / DE 404 in Georgetown
Location
Counties: Sussex
Highway system
← DE 17DE 20 →

Delaware Route 18 (DE 18) is a state highway located in Sussex County, Delaware. It runs from Maryland Route 318 (MD 318) at the Maryland border east of Federalsburg, Maryland to U.S. Route 9 (US 9) in Georgetown. DE 18 runs concurrent with DE 404 from its intersection with that highway southeast of Bridgeville to the eastern terminus, where DE 404 continues eastward to Five Points on US 9. The route passes through rural areas of western Sussex County. What would become DE 18 was built as a state highway in stages during the 1920s and 1930s. By 1936, DE 18 was designated to run from the Maryland border east through Georgetown to Lewes. In 1974, the route east of Georgetown was replaced by US 9 and US 9 Business (US 9 Bus.). DE 404 was designated along the eastern portion of DE 18 by 1987.

Route description

DE 18/DE 404 westbound past US 9 at The Circle in Georgetown

DE 18 begins at the Maryland border, where it continues west into that state as MD 318. From the state line, the route heads east on two-lane undivided Federalsburg Road, passing through agricultural areas with some woods and homes. In Clarksons Crossroads, DE 18 turns southeast onto Cannon Road while Federalsburg Road continues northeast toward Bridgeville. The road continues to the community of Cannon, where it crosses Norfolk Southern's Delmarva Secondary railroad line. East of Cannon, the route comes to an intersection with US 13. Following this, DE 18 heads northeast through farm fields, reaching a junction with DE 404.[3][4]

At this point, DE 18 heads east concurrent with DE 404 along Seashore Highway, running through a mix of farmland and woodland with some residences, passing through tracts of the Redden State Forest. Farther east, DE 18/DE 404 heads into Georgetown, running to the north of Delaware Technical Community College's Jack F. Owens Campus. The road intersects US 113 and the western terminus of DE 404 Truck in a commercial area and continues east. The two routes head southeast onto North Bedford Street, passing homes and businesses. The road comes to an intersection with US 9 at The Circle in the center of Georgetown, where the Sussex County Courthouse is located. At this point, DE 18 ends and DE 404 continues east along US 9.[3][4]

DE 18 has an annual average daily traffic count ranging from a high of 12,176 vehicles at the west end of Georgetown to a low of 2,582 vehicles at the US 13 intersection.[1] The portion of DE 18 concurrent with DE 404 is part of the National Highway System.[5]

History

By 1920, what would eventually become DE 18 was under contract as a state highway from southeast of Bridgeville to Georgetown and from Georgetown to Harbeson; the remainder existed as an unimproved county road.[6] The state highway was completed between Cannon and present-day US 13 and from southeast of Bridgeville east to Lewes by 1924, with the exception of a portion within Georgetown. The part of present-day DE 18 west of Clarksons Crossroads was under proposal as a state highway by this time also.[7] A year later, the portions of the route west of Clarksons Crossroads and within Georgetown were upgraded to state highway status.[8] In 1927, plans were made to replace the 1914-built county-maintained bascule bridge over the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal in Lewes.[9][10] Replacement of this bridge by the state was completed in 1929.[10] By 1931, the state highway was finished between Clarksons Crossroads and Cannon.[11] The portion of road from US 13 east to the current west end of the DE 404 concurrency was completed as a state highway a year later.[12]

DE 18 was designated to run from the Maryland border west of Cannon east to Lewes Beach on the Delaware Bay by 1936, following its current alignment east to Georgetown and continuing east through Gravel Hill, Harbeson, and Lewes.[2] In 1974, the eastern terminus of DE 18 was cut back to its current location in Georgetown, with an extended US 9 replacing the route between Georgetown and Five Points and US 9 Bus. replacing DE 18 from Five Points to Lewes.[13][14] DE 404 was extended to run concurrent with DE 18 from east of Bridgevillle to Georgetown by 1987.[15]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Sussex County.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
​0.000.00 MD 318 west (Bridgeville Road) – Federalsburg, DentonMaryland state line, western terminus
Cannon7.5612.17 US 13 (Sussex Highway) – Bridgeville, Seaford
​9.0614.58 DE 404 west (Seashore Highway) – Bridgeville, DentonWest end of DE 404 overlap
Georgetown18.3329.50 US 113 (Dupont Boulevard / DE 404 Truck east) – Milford, Millsboro, Beaches
19.3831.19 US 9 / DE 404 east (Market Street) to US 113 – Laurel, Beaches, Airport, Cape May-Lewes FerryTraffic circle, eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Staff (2011). "Traffic Count and Mileage Report: Interstate, Delaware, and US Routes" (PDF). Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Delaware State Highway Department; The National Survey Co. (1936). Official Road Map of the State of Delaware (PDF) (Map) (1936–37 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  3. 1 2 Delaware Department of Transportation (2008). Delaware Official Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Google (September 2, 2010). "overview of Delaware Route 18" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  5. ↑ National Highway System: Delaware (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  6. ↑ Delaware State Highway Department (1920). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  7. ↑ Delaware State Highway Department (1924). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  8. ↑ Delaware State Highway Department (1925). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Annual Report of the State Highway Department" (PDF) (1927 ed.). Dover, Delaware: Delaware State Highway Department. December 31, 1927: 8. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  10. 1 2 "Annual Report of the State Highway Department" (PDF) (1929 ed.). Dover, Delaware: Delaware State Highway Department. December 31, 1929: 11. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  11. ↑ Delaware State Highway Department (1931). Official Road Map of the State of Delaware (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  12. ↑ Delaware State Highway Department (1932). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  13. ↑ U.S. Route Numbering Subcommittee (June 25, 1974). "U.S. Route Numbering Subcommittee Agenda" (PDF) (Report). Seattle, WA: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 448. Retrieved October 16, 2014 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  14. ↑ Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation (1976). Delaware Highways Official Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  15. ↑ Delaware Department of Transportation (1987). Official State Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.

Route map: Bing / Google

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