Existed: 1936 – present Length 48.78 km | West end: MD 16 in Hickman Constructed 1936 | |
 | ||
East end: Dead end in Broadkill Beach Counties Kent County, Delaware, Sussex County, Delaware | ||
Delaware Route 16 (DE 16) is an east-west state highway in Delaware, mainly across northern Sussex County, with a small portion near the Maryland border in extreme southwestern Kent County. It runs from Maryland Route 16 (MD 16) at the Maryland border in Hickman to the Delaware Bay at Broadkill Beach. The route runs through rural areas, passing through the towns of Greenwood, Ellendale, and Milton. DE 16 intersects U.S. Route 13 (US 13) and DE 36 in Greenwood, US 113 in Ellendale, DE 30 and DE 5 in the Milton area, and DE 1 between Milton and Broadkill Beach. West of DE 1, the route serves as part of a connection between the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area and the Delaware Beaches. DE 16 was built as a state highway during the 1920s and 1930s. By 1936, the route was designated onto its current alignment.
Contents
Map of DE-16, Delaware, USA
Route description
DE 16 begins at the Maryland border in Hickman, Kent County, where the road continues west into that state as MD 16. From the state line, the route heads east on two-lane undivided Hickman Road, passing through a mix of farmland and woodland with some homes. The road crosses Marshyhope Creek and heads into Sussex County, turning to the southeast. DE 16 comes to an intersection with DE 36, at which point it turns east to form a concurrency with that route. The road enters Greenwood and becomes Market Street, passing several homes along with a few businesses. The highway crosses Norfolk Southern's Delmarva Secondary railroad line before it intersects US 13 on the eastern edge of Greenwood. Past this intersection, DE 16/DE 36 leaves Greenwood and becomes Beach Highway, crossing the Nanticoke River.
In Saint Johnstown, DE 36 splits from DE 16 by heading to the northeast on Shawnee Road. DE 16 continues east through agricultural areas and woods with some residences. Farther east, the road passes through Oakley. The route comes to an intersection with US 113 and enters Ellendale, where it becomes Main Street. In Ellendale, DE 16 runs past several homes, crossing Norfolk Southern's Indian River Secondary railroad line. The road leaves the town and becomes Milton-Ellendale Highway, turning southeast. The route heads through woodland and farms, running immediately to the north of a Delaware Coast Line Railroad line. DE 16 turns east away from the railroad tracks and comes to an intersection with DE 30. At this point, DE 5 Alternate (DE 5 Alt.), which runs south along DE 30, heads east along with DE 16. The road reaches Milton, where it passes homes and businesses. DE 16 comes to an intersection with DE 5, where DE 5 Alt. ends and the road name changes to Broadkill Road. The route leaves Milton and continues into farmland with a few residences, turning to the northeast. The road intersects DE 1 and runs through a mix of farms and woods with some homes. DE 16 turns east and northeast through marshland within the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge before reaching the community of Broadkill Beach, where it crosses Bay Shore Drive before ending at a dead end on the Delaware Bay.
The portion of DE 16 west of DE 1 serves as part of a route connecting the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area to the Delaware Beaches. DE 16 has an annual average daily traffic count ranging from a high of 9,886 vehicles at the eastern edge of Greenwood to a low of 1,815 vehicles at west end of the DE 36 concurrency. None of DE 16 is part of the National Highway System.
History
What is now DE 16 originally existed as a county road by 1920. By 1924, the section of road in Greenwood was constructed as a state highway. A year later, the route between the Dupont Highway and Ellendale became a state highway. In 1929, the road was completed as a state highway between Ellendale and Milton. A year later, the state highway was built between Owens and Ellendale. The entire road west of Milton was finished as a state highway by 1931. By 1936, DE 16 was designated to run from the Maryland border to Broadkill Beach along its current alignment. The portion of route east of DE 14 (present-day DE 1) was paved by 1942.