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Delaware Route 1 south - Christiana to Dover

Proceeding from its interchange with Interstate 95 in Christiana, Delaware Route 1 heads south toward exits serving the Christiana Mall and, subsequently, Delaware Route 273. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

Exit 164B for southbound Delaware Route 7 leaves the highway ahead. DE 1's freeway exit numbers are unique in that they are kilometer-based rather than mile-based, and the highway's distance posts also used to be in kilometers. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

Exit 162 from DE 273 follows. The rightmost lane serves as the exit lane and thus disappears at the interchange DE 273 emerges from Maryland, where it bears the same number, and runs through downtown Newark en route to New Castle. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

The exit sits just ahead, and DE 1's southbound carriageway prepares to narrow to two lanes. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

The highway then gains a third lane again for its next exit, 160, for U.S. Route 40 (Pulaski Highway) running between Bear and Glasgow locally, and between Wilmington and Baltimore on a broader scale. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

Plenty of fast food is at exit 160. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

Exit 160 is reached, and the highway loses a lane again. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

The exit 160 gore sign. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

Next comes exit 156, leading to U.S. Route 13 northbound and Delaware Route 71 southbound. US 13 was the route that DE 1 replaced from this point to just outside of Dover. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

Just past the US 40 interchange, DE 1 crosses over Springfields Boulevard, which serves residential areas of Bear. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

Exit 156 leaves the highway to the left, with control cities Wilmington (for US 13) and Red Lion (for DE 71). It is also at this exit where DE 1 joins US 13, having been constructed directly along the older highway as an upgrade. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

After the southbound lanes of DE 1 curve wide right, southbound US 13 traffic merges in, and the DE 1 Relief Route begins in earnest. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Following the US 13 merge, the speed limit is 65 miles per hour. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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There is subsequently a southbound DE 1/US 13 shield. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The highway proceeds over Red Lion Creek, a tributary of the nearby Delaware River. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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A small blue sign then bills an AM radio frequency for traveler information. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 152 is where US 13 leaves the highway and returns to the corridor of Dupont Highway. Also intersecting DE 1 at the exit is Delaware Route 72; it serves Delaware City, St. Georges, and the former's business district. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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School House Road crosses over DE 1 before the exit. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 152 is half a mile away, The highway crosses over DE 7, which ends just to the east of the exit at US 13 and DE 72, in the distance. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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There is a Division of Motor Vehicles office at this exit. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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An overhead sign announces exit 152 has been reached. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The exit 152 gore. US 13 will directly parallel DE 1 from here to the east side of Dover. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Now riding solo again, DE 1 is 8 miles from Odessa, 31 from Dover, and 75 from the start point of the beaches, all of which the route serves directly. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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There is now a crossing over Dragon Run. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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An overhead message sign then displays travel times to Odessa, Smyrna and the north side of Dover. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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As DE 1 nears a bridge over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, its next two exits are displayed on this overhead gantry: a connector to US 13 and South St. Georges, and U.S. Route 301, here a toll road in its own right, to Annapolis, Maryland via the upper Eastern Shore and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. DE 1's toll plaza is a quarter of a mile past US 301. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The weekday and weekend toll prices are displayed at right as the highway climbs toward the start of the bridge. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Named the William V. Roth Jr. Bridge after a U.S. Senator from Delaware, DE 1's crossing of the canal was built parallel to US 13's St. Georges Bridge, which was to be demolished following the new bridge's opening, but instead rehabilitated. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The bridge, cable-stayed in style, reached its top and midpoint here. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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At the end of the bridge, a lane opens up for the ramp to US 13. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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From here, exit 148, US 301 south (exit 147) is three-quarters of a mile away, and the toll plaza in one mile. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The following overhead sign delineates the lanes for each type of toll payment - E-ZPass and cash, the latter still acceptable at Delaware tollbooths in 2023. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 147 has been reached. This represents the northern terminus of US 301 as of the 2019 opening of its toll road alignment, which lasts approximately 12 miles to the Maryland line. US 301 runs nearly 1,100 miles from here to Sarasota, Florida. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The gore sign for exit 147 is in Clearview font. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Another pair of signs concerning the toll plaza is situated just behind the crossing of the ramp from northbound US 301 to northbound DE 1. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The aforementioned ramp passes over the highway here. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The southbound cash tollbooth is at right, while the E-ZPass scanners are straight ahead. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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All lanes of the southbound carriageway then come back together. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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After a couple of miles, exit 142, intersecting Delaware Route 896 and serving Mount Pleasant and Boyds Corner, is half a mile ahead. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 142 sits just beyond this overhead sign. DE 896 has its own bridge over the canal nearby, which was formerly also traversed by US 301. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Pole Bridge Road crosses over DE 1 just after the exit. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The speed limit continues to be 65 miles per hour. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Odessa is 2 miles away, Dover 25 miles, and the beaches begin a nice 69 miles away. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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DE 1 next crosses the Drawyer Creek, which leads west to nearby Shallcross Lake, and in the opposite direction converges with its parent Appoquinimink River. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Two gas stations and a hotel are among the services at the next exit, 136. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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There is also no shortage of restaurants available at the exit; the Wawa there doubles as one. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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After curving sharply to pass west of Odessa, the highway crosses over US 13. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 136 - intersecting Delaware Route 299, leading to US 13 and serving Middletown, Odessa and Townsend - is one mile away. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Before the exit, at mile marker 85, there is a sign noting a town ordinance prohibiting trucks over two axles on DE 299 through Odessa, barring local deliveries. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 136 is just ahead. Townsend is demoted from the exit sign itself to a grounded supplemental sign. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The highway curves within exit 136. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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DE 299 crosses over DE 1 via this overpass. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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As noted by this small green sign, the beaches are 65 miles away. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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After it crosses the Appoquinimink River, DE 1 begins paralleling Harris Road, at right. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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A little further along, private access to Harris Road is seen at right. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Eventually, the highway crosses over Pine Tree Road. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The route then curves slightly, surrounded by a low layer of trees. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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A speed limit sign then precedes another crossing of US 13. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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There then comes a DE 1 reassurance shield. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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DE 1 goes on to cross US 13 once more, east of the village of Blackbird. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Food options at the forthcoming exit 119 are listed here. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 119A leads to Delaware Route 6 and Delaware Route 300 via US 13 south, the town of Smyrna, and a rest area, and is in one mile. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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A separate blue sign at right reiterates the upcoming rest area. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 119A is just ahead. Exit 119B, for US 13 north toward Townsend, is still three-quarters of a mile away. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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DE 6 (Commerce Street) crosses over DE 1 here. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Eventually, DE 1 nears exit 114, intersecting both directions of US 13 at once and serving the area of South Smyrna. By now, DE 1 has left New Castle County and entered Kent County. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Now passing Smyrna just to the east, the highway crosses Mill Creek. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge and Smyrna Opera House are off this exit. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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An Emergency Medical Care sign sits behind the Smyrna Leipsic Road overpass, as the exit approaches. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 114 sits up ahead as announced by this overhead sign. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The exit 114 gore sign. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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This bridge just further along carries DE 1 over the roadway that links it with US 13 and south Smyrna's commercial strip. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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After exit 114, Dover, Milford and the beaches are 5, 24 and 49 miles away. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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The highway continues going south with a gradual curve to the right. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Between exits, DE 1 passes under Twin Willows Road. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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At mile marker 65, the highway crosses the Leipsic River. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Dover is served by the next four exits, and Dover Air Force Base by exit 93. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 97, still a few miles away, leads in the direction of Salisbury, Maryland and Norfolk, Virginia via US 13. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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Exit 104 (Scarborough Road), leads to US 13, DE 8, the area of north Dover, and the Dover Motor Speedway/Bally's Dover complex. Photo taken 05-01-2023.

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