Existed: 1936 – present Length 31.37 km County Sussex County, Delaware | Counties: Sussex Constructed 1936 | |
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West end: MD 318 east of Federalsburg, MD East end: US 9 / DE 404 in Georgetown | ||
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.
Contents
Map of DE-18, Delaware, USA
Route description
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.
At this point, DE 18 heads east concurrent with DE 404 along Seashore Highway through a mix of farmland and woodland with some residences, crossing the Nanticoke River and 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.
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. The portion of DE 18 concurrent with DE 404 is part of the National Highway System.
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. 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. A year later, the portions of the route west of Clarksons Crossroads and within Georgetown were upgraded to state highway status. In 1927, plans were made to replace the 1914-built county-maintained bascule bridge over the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal in Lewes. Replacement of this bridge by the state was completed in 1929. By 1931, the state highway was finished between Clarksons Crossroads and Cannon. 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.
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. 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. DE 404 was extended to run concurrent with DE 18 from east of Bridgevillle to Georgetown by 1987.
Major intersections
The entire route is in Sussex County.