Delaware Route 18
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Route information | ||||
Maintained by DelDOT | ||||
Length | 19.38 mi[1] (31.19 km) | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | ![]() | |||
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East end | ![]() ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Delaware | |||
Highway system | ||||
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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. By 1976, the route east of Georgetown was replaced by US 9 and US 9 Business. DE 404 was designated along the eastern portion of DE 18 by 1987.
Route description
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/DE_18-DE_404_WB_shields_past_The_Circle.jpg/220px-DE_18-DE_404_WB_shields_past_The_Circle.jpg)
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 through rural areas 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 intersection, DE 18 heads northeast through farm fields, coming to an intersection with DE 404.[2][3]
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. The road heads through more forested areas with some agriculture and homes, passing through tracts of the Redden State Forest. Farther east, DE 18/DE 404 heads into Georgetown, passing to the north of Delaware Technical Community College's Jack F. Owens Campus. The road crosses US 113 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 DE 18 ends and DE 404 continues east along US 9.[2][3]
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.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6] By 1925, the portions of the route west of Clarksons Crossroads and within Georgetown were upgraded to state highway status.[7] By 1931, the state highway was finished between Clarksons Crossroads and Cannon.[8] The portion of road from US 13 east to the current west end of the DE 404 concurrency was completed as a state highway by 1932.[9]
When Delaware created its state highway system by 1936, DE 18 was designated to run from the Maryland border west of Cannon east to Lewes Beach, following its current alignment east to Georgetown and continuing east through Gravel Hill, Harbeson, and Lewes.[10] By 1976, 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 Business replacing DE 18 from Five Points to Lewes.[11] DE 404 was extended to run concurrent with DE 18 from east of Bridgevillle to Georgetown by 1987.[12]
Major intersections
The entire route is in Sussex County.
Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | 0.00 | ![]() ![]() | Maryland state line, western terminus |
Cannon | 7.56 | 12.17 | ![]() | |
| 9.06 | 14.58 | ![]() ![]() | West end of DE 404 overlap |
Georgetown | 18.33 | 29.50 | ![]() | |
19.38 | 31.19 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Traffic circle, eastern terminus | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
See also
References
- ^ a b c Staff (2011). "Traffic Count and Mileage Report: Interstate, Delaware, and US Routes" (PDF). Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
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(help) - ^ a b Delaware Department of Transportation (2008). Delaware Official Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation.
- ^ a b Google (September 2, 2010). "overview of Delaware Route 18" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
- ^ National Highway System: Delaware (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
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(help) - ^ Delaware State Highway Department (1920). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department.
- ^ Delaware State Highway Department (1924). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department.
- ^ Delaware State Highway Department (1925). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department.
- ^ Delaware State Highway Department (1931). Official Road Map of the State of Delaware (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department.
- ^ Delaware State Highway Department (1932). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department.
- ^ Delaware State Highway Department; The National Survey Co. (1936). Official Road Map of the State of Delaware (PDF) (Map) (1936–1937 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department.
- ^ Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation (1976). Delaware Highways Official Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation.
- ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (1987). Official State Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation.
External links
Media related to Delaware Route 18 at Wikimedia Commons