Delaware Route 896

Delaware Route 896
Route information
Maintained by DelDOT and USACE
Length:	21.09 mi[1] (33.94 km)
Major junctions
South end:	DE 1 in Boyds Corner
	US 13 in Boyds Corner US 301 / DE 71 in Mount Pleasant DE 15 in Summit DE 71 north of Summit US 40 in Glasgow I-95 / Del. Tpk. south of Newark DE 2 / DE 4 in Newark DE 273 in Newark
North end:	MD 896 northwest of Newark
Highway system
Routes in Delaware ← I-895 DE 1 →

Delaware Route 896 is a state highway located in New Castle County, Delaware. The route runs from Delaware Route 1 in Boyds Corner, Delaware north to the Maryland border northwest of Newark, where it becomes the unsigned Maryland Route 896. Beyond this very short (0.21 mile) section, which does contain a single intersection with Little Egypt Road,^[2] the route continues further as Pennsylvania Route 896.

DE 896 was originally built as a state highway during the 1920s and 1930s. By 1938, the route was designated between DE 71 in Summit Bridge and the Maryland border northwest of Newark. In the 1950s, the route was extended to US 13 south of Townsend, following DE 71 to Middletown and replacing a part of that route south of there. Between the 1950s and 1990s, various alignments of US 301, US 301N, and US 301S followed DE 896. In the 1980s, DE 896 was realigned to head from Mt. Pleasant to US 13 in Boyds Corner, with DE 71 later being extended down the former route past Middletown. Also around this time, DE 896 was rerouted to bypass the University of Delaware to the west. A bypass of Glasgow was completed in the 1990s and the route was extended slightly to the DE 1 toll road.

Route description

Delaware Route 896 heads west from a diamond interchange with DE 1 on Pole Bridge Road. Shortly after the interchange, it crosses U.S. Route 13 and becomes Boyds Corner Road. It then heads in a westward direction, passing through farmland, to an intersection with US 301 and Delaware Route 71 in Mount Pleasant.^[1][3]

It then turns north onto US 301 and DE 71 and heads north on the four-lane, divided Summit Bridge Road. It angles to the northwest and meets the northern terminus of Delaware Route 15 in Summit. The route then crosses the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal on the Summit Bridge. Past the Summit Bridge, it passes under Chesapeake City Road, which heads west to Chesapeake City, Maryland by way of Maryland Route 285. DE 71 then splits from the road by turning east onto Red Lion Road and US 301 and DE 896 head north on the four-lane, divided Summit Bridge Road past Lums Pond State Park and through new housing developments. It heads toward Glasgow, where Delaware Route 896 Business branches off to pass through the center of Glasgow while US 301 and DE 896 bypass the town to the east. On the east side of Glasgow, the route intersects U.S. Route 40, where US 301 ends and DE 896 continues north toward Newark.^[1][3]

North of Glasgow, DE 896 heads north on South College Avenue, passing by a mix of industrial, commercial, and residential areas. It then intersects Interstate 95, the Delaware Turnpike, at a modified cloverleaf interchange just east of a toll plaza on I-95. DE 896 then heads north through commercial development to Delaware Route 2 and Delaware Route 4 (Christina Parkway), at the southern edge of the University of Delaware campus.^[1][3]

It then heads west along with DE 2 and DE 4 on the Christina Parkway, bypassing the segment of South College Avenue that goes through the University of Delaware campus. The Christina Parkway is four lanes and then narrows to two lanes as it crosses over the Amtrak Northeast Corridor. It then intersects Elkton Road, where DE 4 ends, DE 2 makes a left to head toward Elkton, Maryland, and DE 896 makes a right to head toward downtown Newark along with Delaware Route 2 Business.^[1][3]

DE 896 continues along Elkton Road (along with DE 2 Business) until all traffic must go onto the beginning of eastbound Delaware Avenue, picking up eastbound DE 273 at that point and diverging from the southbound DE 896 alignment. Northbound DE 896 then turns left onto northbound S. College Avenue, leaving eastbound DE 2 Business and eastbound DE 273, then left onto westbound Main Street and joining westbound DE 2 Business and westbound DE 273. It then takes the right fork of a three-way split (leaving the other two routes) and goes onto the short one-way stretch of New London Road. New London Road then becomes two-way and the northbound/southbound DE 896 divergence ends. Southbound DE 896 in this area turns right on Hillside Road; left on Main Street, where it picks up eastbound DE 273; right onto Elkton Road, which is one-way for one block, picking up westbound DE 2 business, but then DE 273 quickly departs onto eastbound Delaware Avenue.^[1][3]

The route then heads to the northwest on the two-lane New London Road, passing through suburban areas to the northwest of Newark and providing access to White Clay Creek State Park. Route 896 then leaves Delaware and passes briefly through the northeastern corner of Cecil County, Maryland as Maryland Route 896 before entering Pennsylvania as Pennsylvania Route 896.^[1][3]

History

What is now DE 896 originally existed as a county road by 1920, with the portion between Boyds Corner and Mt. Pleasant proposed as a state highway at that time.^[4] By 1924, the state highway between Boyds Corner and Mt. Pleasant was completed while the rest of the route was paved.^[5] A year later, the road was upgraded to a state highway between Mt. Pleasant and Summit Bridge.^[6] By 1936, the road became a state highway between Summit Bridge and Glasgow; at this time none of present-day DE 896 was assigned a route number.^[7] DE 896 was designated by 1938 to run from DE 71 in Summit Bridge north to the Maryland border northwest of Newark, passing through Newark on College Avenue and New London Road.^[8] At the state line, the road briefly became MD 278 before becoming PA 896 in Pennsylvania.^[8][9] MD 278 became MD 896 in 1942 to match DE 896 and PA 896.^[10] At the time of designation, DE 896 between Glasgow and Newark was under construction, this segment was completed a year later.^[8][11]

DE 896 was extended south to US 13 south of Townsend by 1957, following DE 71 between Summit Bridge and Middletown and replacing DE 71 between Middletown and US 13.^[12] By 1959, US 301S was designated along DE 71/DE 896 between Summit Bridge and Middletown.^[13] The route was realigned to a new Summit Bridge a short distance to the west in 1960, with a part of the former DE 896 north of the bridge becoming a part of a realigned US 301S/DE 71.^[13][14] The US 301S designation along DE 71/DE 896 between Middletown and Summit Bridge became US 301 by 1971, with US 301N being designated along DE 896 between Summit Bridge and US 40 in Glasgow.^[15]

By 1984, DE 896 was realigned to run from Mt. Pleasant to US 13 in Boyds Corner along its current alignment.^[16] The former alignment south of Middletown became unnumbered at the time but would become part of DE 71 again by 1990.^[16][17] The same year, the Christina Parkway around the southern edge of Newark was completed.^[16] A year later, US 301N was rerouted to follow DE 896 between Mt. Pleasant and Boyds Corner, with US 301N being removed from the route between Summit Bridge and Glasgow and US 301S being extended along the route between Mt. Pleasant and Summit Bridge.^[18] By 1987, US 301S was removed from DE 71/DE 896 and the US 301N designation became US 301.^[19] A year later, DE 896 was routed to bypass the University of Delaware campus by heading west along the Christiana Parkway with DE 4 and then northeast on DE 2 before continuing along New London Road.^[20] By 1990, DE 2 was routed to follow DE 4 and DE 896 on the Christina Parkway and DE 2 Business was designated along with DE 896 on Elkton Road.^[17] By 1994, US 301 was realigned to follow DE 896 between Mt. Pleasant and Glasgow.^[21] By 1996, DE 896 was rerouted to bypass Glasgow to the east, with the former alignment becoming DE 896 Business.^[22] DE 896 was extended a short distance past US 13 to an interchange with the newly-completed DE 1 toll road in 1999.^[23]

Before the above-mentioned bypass of the University of Delaware campus, northbound DE 896 continued straight up S. College Avenue all the way to Main Street; it arrived back at its present alignment at Delaware Avenue, one block before Main Street. Southbound DE 896 in this area followed Hillside Road, Main Street, and a 1-block 1-way stretch of Elkton Road (as it does in its present alignment), but then went east on Delaware Avenue and south on S. College Avenue. These old N-bound and S-bound alignments are still driveable.

Major intersections

The entire route is in New Castle County.

Location	Mile[1]	Road	Notes
Boyds Corner	0.00	US 13 (Dupont Parkway) to DE 1 (Pole Bridge Road)	Southern terminus
Mount Pleasant	3.52	US 301 / DE 71 south (Summit Bridge Road) – Middletown, Annapolis	South end of US 301/DE 71 concurrency
Summit Bridge		DE 15 south (Bethel Church Road)
	Summit Bridge over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
	7.62	DE 71 north (Red Lion Road)	North end of DE 71 concurrency
Glasgow	11.03	US 40 (Pulaski Highway) / US 301 – Glasgow, Elkton, Wilmington	Northern terminus of US 301
Newark	13.95	I-95 / Del. Tpk. – Wilmington, Baltimore	Interchange
	14.82	DE 2 / DE 4 east (Chestnut Hill Road)	South end of DE 2/DE 4 concurrency
	15.99	DE 2 west / DE 2 Bus. (Elkton Road) / DE 4	North end of DE 2/DE 4 concurrency, southend of DE 2 Bus. concurrency
	17.53	DE 2 Bus. / DE 273 (Delaware Avenue)	North end of DE 2 Bus. concurrency, south end of DE 2 Bus./DE 273 eastbound concurrency
	17.72	DE 2 Bus. / DE 273 east (Delaware Avenue)	North end of DE 2 Bus./DE 273 eastbound concurrency
	17.80	DE 2 Bus. / DE 273 (Main Street)	South end of DE 2 Bus./DE 273 westbound concurrency
	17.99	DE 2 Bus. west (Elkton Road) / DE 273 west (Main Street)	North end of DE 2 Bus./DE 273 westbound concurrency
Maryland state line	21.09	MD 896 north (New London Road)	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Bannered routes

DE 896 Alternate

Delaware Route 896 Alternate
Location:	Boyds Corner-Glasgow

Delaware Route 896 Alternate is an alternate alignment of Delaware Route 896 from near its southern terminus in Boyds Corner north to Glasgow. It was created to provide an alternate route across the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal following construction on the approaches to the Summit Bridge that has reduced traffic from four lanes to two lanes across the bridge. The route follows U.S. Route 13, Delaware Route 1 between Exit 148 and Exit 152, crossing the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal on the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal Bridge, Delaware Route 72, and U.S. Route 40. The route originally followed US 13 between DE 1 and DE 72, crossing the canal on the St. Georges Bridge, but was rerouted following a 15 ton weight restriction and lane closures on the St. Georges Bridge.^[24]

DE 896 Business

Delaware Route 896 Business
Location:	Glasgow
Length:	1.78 mi[25] (2.86 km)

Delaware Route 896 Business is a 1.78-mile (2.86 km)^[25] long business route of Delaware Route 896 that passes through Glasgow. It uses the old alignment of DE 896, and was created by 1996 following the completion of the current Delaware Route 896 bypass to the east of town.^[22] Business DE 896 begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 301 and DE 896 to the south of Glasgow. It heads north, at first closely paralleing DE 896 to the west. It then separates as Delaware Route 896 bends more to the east. Business DE 896 intersects with U.S. Route 40 in the middle of Glasgow. It continues north, with the northbound lane coming to a dead end and a connection present from DE 896 southbound to DE 896 Business southbound.^[26]

See also

• U.S. Roads portal
• Delaware portal

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} http://www.deldot.gov/information/pubs_forms/manuals/traffic_counts/2006/pdf/rpt_pgs1_38_rev.pdf DelDOT 2006 Traffic Count and Mileage Report
2. ^ Google, Inc. Google Maps – map showing Maryland portion of 896 (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&om=1&msa=0&msid=112627406734503472173.000001130e58358a3ad26&ll=39.711545,-75.750389&spn=0.082534,0.11673&z=13. Retrieved June 8, 2009. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Google, Inc. Google Maps – overview of Delaware Route 896 (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=1332+pole+bridge+road&daddr=39.536322,-75.7377592+to:39.6589373,-75.7613769+to:39.69235,-75.76271+to:delaware+896+and+maryland+896&geocode=Fb25WgIdYLh9-ynbjqcgYQnHiTET5AxgVYV8qA%3BFcJGWwIdYVV8-ykFuHLLbKfHiTF1ttDkNjWG6w%3BFbklXQIdIPl7-ynR22OWnanHiTGZ91JjbmPYmg%3BFT6oXQId6vN7-ymf7R2QyqvHiTFBnooAaYdasA%3BFdMcXgId-IV7-ylheDRIcavHiTGvWv4vVVfXLw&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=3&sz=11&via=1,2,3&sll=39.611215,-75.71771&sspn=0.241217,0.676346&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=11. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
4. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1920 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_002.pdf. Retrieved April 15, 2010. 
5. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1924 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_003.pdf. Retrieved August 1, 2010. 
6. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1925 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_004.pdf. Retrieved August 19, 2010. 
7. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1936/37 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_008.pdf. Retrieved April 15, 2010. 
8. ^ ^{a b c} Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1938 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_010.pdf. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
9. ^ Maryland State Roads Commission. General Highway Map: State of Maryland (Map) (1939 ed.). 
10. ^ United States Geological Survey. Elkton, MD quadrangle (Map). 1:48,000. 15 Minute Series (Topographic) (1942 ed.). http://historical.mytopo.com/quad.cfm?quadname=Elkton&state=MD&series=15. Retrieved March 24, 2010. 
11. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1939 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_012.pdf. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
12. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1957/58 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_030.pdf. Retrieved April 29, 2010. 
13. ^ ^{a b} Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1959/60 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_032.pdf. Retrieved April 15, 2010. 
14. ^ "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to intermittently close the Chesapeake City Bridge during testing" (PDF). United States Army Corps of Engineers. September 22, 2005. http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/cenap-pa/U%20S%20%20Army%20Corps%20of%20Engineers%20to%20intermittently%20close%20the%20Chesapeake%20City%20Bridge%20during%20testing%20Sept%202005.pdf. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
15. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1971 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_050.pdf. Retrieved April 15, 2010. 
16. ^ ^{a b c} Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1984 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_062.pdf. Retrieved February 5, 2011. 
17. ^ ^{a b} Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1990 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_070.pdf. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
18. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1985 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_060.pdf. Retrieved April 15, 2010. 
19. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1987 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_064.pdf. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
20. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1988 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_066.pdf. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
21. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1994 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_068.pdf. Retrieved April 29, 2010. 
22. ^ ^{a b} Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1996 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_072.pdf. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
23. ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (PDF). Delaware Official Highway Map (Map) (1999 ed.). http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/historic_pres/historic_highway_maps/pdf/cd_074.pdf. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
24. ^ Google, Inc. Google Maps – overview of Delaware Route 896 Alternate (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=DE+896+and+US+13&daddr=39.52492,-75.64883+to:39.55414,-75.659982+to:39.5833782,-75.6766769+to:DE+896+and+US+40&geocode=Fdy4WgIdI659-ynv1idkYQnHiTEPth1s7qYlfw%3BFTgaWwIdwrB9-ykxls3dFgnHiTGQozGhDgnu0Q%3BFVyMWwIdMoV9-yml5BmW8wjHiTGizxy2G_e_Iw%3BFZL-WwId_EN9-ynZNUZX1gfHiTH0qhCnHFTs4Q%3BFdVVXAIdY0h8-ymbjC65a6jHiTHEm4E-pm3QTg&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=12&via=1,2,3&sll=39.552685,-75.69529&sspn=0.12071,0.338173&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=12. Retrieved February 6, 2011. 
25. ^ ^{a b} http://www.deldot.gov/information/pubs_forms/manuals/traffic_counts/2007/pdf/rpt_pgs76_114.pdf DelDOT 2007 Traffic Count and Mileage Report
26. ^ Google, Inc. Google Maps – overview of Delaware Route 896 Business (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=DE+896+and+porter+road&daddr=39.5998504,-75.743269+to:DE+896+and+glasgow+avenue&geocode=Fc0OXAIdKUt8-ymj7-wM36fHiTGGopWkiBNA2Q%3BFeo-XAId2z98-ylnG5sObqjHiTFqiMOKawXt3g%3BFdNtXAIdGjZ8-ylFML5XQqjHiTFyHsvd-rRp6Q&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=14&via=1&sll=39.599695,-75.741705&sspn=0.030157,0.084543&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=14. Retrieved February 6, 2011.