Delaware Route 9A

Delaware Route 9A (DE 9A) is a two- to four-lane road in Wilmington, Delaware that serves as the primary access route to the Port of Wilmington as well as provide access to Interstate 495 (I-495). The official designation of the route runs 0.78 miles (1.26 km) along Terminal Avenue between DE 9 and the Port of Wilmington, interchanging with I-495. Signage has the route continuing north along Christiana Avenue to an intersection with U.S. Route 13 (US 13) and DE 9 for a total length of 2.0 mi (3.2 km). Christiana Avenue originally became a state highway in the 1920s, becoming a part of US 40 that connected to a ferry across the Delaware River to Penns Grove, New Jersey. US 40 was removed from this road in the 1930s and it later became part of DE 48, which was subsequently removed in the 1950s following the discontinuance of the ferry. DE 9A was designated by 1971.

Delaware Route 9A
Route information
Maintained by DelDOT
Length0.74 mi[1] (1.19 km)
Official length, signed length is 2.0 miles (3.2 km).[2]
Existed1971[3]–present
Major junctions
South end DE 9 in Wilmington
  I-495 near Port of Wilmington
North end US 13 / DE 9 in Wilmington
Location
CountiesNew Castle
Highway system
← DE 9→ DE 10

Route description
DE 9A southbound on Terminal Avenue approaching DE 9

DE 9A begins at an intersection with DE 9 in the city of Wilmington, heading east-southeast as two-lane undivided Terminal Avenue through residential areas. The road widens into a four-lane divided highway and comes to an interchange with I-495. Past I-495, the road heads through industrial areas, becoming an undivided road as it crosses over Norfolk Southern's New Castle Secondary railroad line at a grade crossing. The road crosses Norfolk Southern's Christiana Avenue Industrial Track before reaching the entrance to the Port of Wilmington at the Christiana Avenue intersection. At this point, DelDOT officially marks the end of DE 9A, but signage shows it turning north onto Christiana Avenue.[2][4]

DE 9A proceeds north-northwest as a two-lane road, passing through more industrial areas and crossing under I-495 again, this time underneath of the I-495 bridge over the Christina River. After this, the route crosses over both the Norfolk Southern's New Castle Secondary and Shellpot Secondary at grade crossings in marshland. The road continues between residential and commercial areas to the west and industrial areas to the east before terminating at both US 13 and DE 9 near the Christina River drawbridge leading into Wilmington's central business district.[2][4]

DE 9A has an annual average daily traffic count of 8,151 vehicles along Terminal Avenue.[1] The portion of DE 9A along Terminal Avenue between I-495 and the entrance to the Port of Wilmington at Christiana Avenue is part of the National Highway System.[5]

History

What is now DE 9A was a county road by 1920.[6] By 1924, the Christiana Avenue portion of the route was constructed as a state highway.[7] Christiana Avenue became a portion of US 40 in 1926, running from US 13 to a ferry that went across the Delaware River to Penns Grove, New Jersey.[8][9] By 1931, US 40 was removed from this road.[10] The road became the easternmost portion of DE 48 by 1936, which connected to a ferry that linked the route to New Jersey Route 48 in Penns Grove.[11] DE 48 was removed from this road by 1952 after the ferry between Wilmington and Penns Grove was discontinued in 1949.[12][13] DE 9A was designated around 1971 onto its current alignment.[3]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Wilmington, New Castle County.

mi[2][1]kmDestinationsNotes
0.000.00 DE 9 (New Castle Avenue)Southern terminus
I-495 – Philadelphia, Edgemoor, Delaware Memorial Bridge, BaltimoreI-495 exit 2
0.741.19Christiana AvenueOfficial northern terminus; DE 9A signage continues north on Christiana Avenue
2.03.2 US 13 / DE 9 (South Heald Street/East 4th Street) to I-495Signed northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also
  •  U.S. Roads portal

References
  1. Staff (2018). "Traffic Count and Mileage Report: Interstate, Delaware, and US Routes" (PDF). Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  2. Google (February 8, 2011). "overview of Delaware Route 9A" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
  3. Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation (1971). Delaware Highways Official Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  4. Delaware Department of Transportation (2017). Official Travel & Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  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. Bureau of Public Roads & American Association of State Highway Officials (November 11, 1926). United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials (Map). 1:7,000,000. Washington, DC: U.S. Geological Survey. OCLC 32889555. Retrieved November 7, 2013 – via University of North Texas Libraries.
  9. Map of New Jersey (Map). Tydol Trails. 1927. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  10. Delaware State Highway Department (1931). Official Road Map of the State of Delaware (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  11. 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. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  12. Delaware State Highway Department (1949). Official Road Map of the State of Delaware (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  13. Delaware State Highway Department (1952). Official Highway Map of Delaware (PDF) (Map) (1952–1953 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.

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