Delaware Route 404

Delaware Route 404
Route information
Maintained by DelDOT
Length:	35.23 mi[1] (56.70 km)
Existed:	1936 – present
Major junctions
West end:	MD 404 near Adams Crossroads
	DE 36 in Scotts Corner US 13 in Bridgeville DE 18 near Bridgeville US 113 in Georgetown US 9 in Georgetown DE 30 in Gravel Hill DE 5 in Harbeson
East end:	US 9 / DE 1 / US 9 Bus. in Five Points
Location
Counties:	Sussex
Highway system
Delaware State Route System List Byways ← US 301 DE 491 →

Delaware Route 404 (DE 404) is a major state highway in Sussex County, Delaware that spans the width of the state. DE 404's western terminus is at the Maryland border northwest of Bridgeville, where it continues as Maryland Route 404 (MD 404), and its eastern terminus is at the Five Points intersection with U.S. Route 9 (US 9), DE 1, and US 9 Business (US 9 Bus.). The route passes through rural areas as well as the towns of Bridgeville and Georgetown. DE 404 runs concurrent with DE 18 from east of Bridgeville to Georgetown and with US 9 from Georgetown to Five Points. DE 404 has a business route, DE 404 Bus., that passes through Bridgeville and a truck route, DE 404 Truck, that bypasses Georgetown. DE 404, along with MD 404, serves as a major route connecting the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area with the Delaware Beaches.

DE 404 was first designated by 1936 to run from the Maryland border to DE 18 southeast of Bridgeville. The route was extended to Five Points by 1987. By 1999, DE 404 was aligned to bypass Bridgeville, with DE 404 Bus. designated on the former route through the town. The new alignment of DE 404 around Bridgeville replaced DE 404 Alternate (DE 404 Alt.)

Route description

DE 18/DE 404 westbound past US 9 at The Circle in Georgetown

DE 404 begins at the Maryland border, where it continues northwest into that state as MD 404. From the state line, the route heads southeast on two-lane undivided Seashore Highway, passing through a mix of farmland and woodland with some homes. In the community of Scotts Corner, the road intersects the western terminus of DE 36. DE 404 continues through more rural areas and turns northeast onto Newton Road, with DE 404 Bus. continuing southeast along Seashore Highway toward Bridgeville. From here, DE 404 heads through agricultural areas to the north of Bridgeville, curving east and crossing Norfolk Southern's Delmarva Secondary railroad line.^[2][3]

The route comes to an intersection with US 13 and turns south to form a concurrency with that route on Sussex Highway, a four-lane divided highway. A short distance later, US 13 Bus. splits off to the southwest to head into Bridgeville. The road continues through farmland with some businesses to the east of Bridgeville. Upon reaching an intersection with US 13 Bus./DE 404 Bus., DE 404 splits from US 13 by heading southeast onto four-lane divided Seashore Highway. The road passes a few businesses before becoming two lanes and undivided as it continues through agricultural areas, coming to an intersection with DE 18.^[2][3]

At this point, DE 18 heads east concurrent with DE 404 along Seashore Highway through a mix of farmland and woodland with some residences, 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. Here, DE 18 reaches its eastern terminus.^[2][3]

Erroneous US 404 shield along DE 1 in Five Points

At this point, DE 404 continues northeast concurrent with US 9 on East Market Street through the downtown area. The road crosses Norfolk Southern's Indian River Secondary railroad line and runs through residential areas with a few businesses. US 9/DE 404 heads east-northeast out of Georgetown and becomes Lewes Georgetown Highway, passing through farmland and woodland with some development. The two routes intersect the eastern terminus of US 9 Truck/DE 404 Truck a short distance east of Georgetown. In Gravel Hill, the road intersects DE 30. Following this intersection, US 9/DE 404 passes through more rural land, reaching a junction with DE 5 in Harbeson. Past here, the two routes cross a Delaware Coast Line Railroad line. Farther east, residential development near the road begins to increase. Upon reaching the area of the Five Points intersection in Nassau, US 9/DE 404 runs past homes and businesses, widening into a divided highway and coming to an intersection with DE 1D/DE 23. DE 23 joins US 9/DE 404 for a concurrency on a four-lane divided highway before the road comes to a junction with DE 1. Here, DE 23/DE 404 ends, US 9 Bus. continues northeast, and US 9 heads east for a concurrency with DE 1.^[2][3]

DE 404 serves as a major route connecting the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area to the Delaware Beaches.^[4][5] The highest annual average daily traffic along DE 404 is 30,773 vehicles along the US 13 concurrency with the lowest being 5,777 vehicles at the western terminus of DE 404 Business.^[1] All of DE 404 is part of the National Highway System.^[6]

History

By 1920, what would originally become DE 404 was an unimproved county road, with the section east of Bridgeville under contract as a state highway.^[7] The entire route of what would become DE 404 was completed as a state highway to a point northwest of Bridgeville by 1924.^[8] By 1931, the road was built as a state highway northwest to the Maryland border.^[9] DE 404 was designated to run from the Maryland border, where it connected to MD 404, southeast to DE 18 southeast of Bridgeville by 1936. The route followed its current alignment to Bridgeville, where it passed through the town on Market Street and South Main Street before picking up its current alignment east of US 13. At this time, what is now DE 404 past its then-eastern terminus was designated as part of DE 18.^[10] By 1987, DE 404 was extended east to DE 1 in Five Points, following DE 18 to Georgetown and US 9 (which had replaced a portion of DE 18) from Georgetown to Five Points.^[11] DE 404 Alt. was created to bypass Bridgeville to the north and east by 1990, following Newton Road and US 13.^[12] The alternate route became a part of mainline DE 404 by 1999, with the former DE 404 through Bridgeville becoming DE 404 Bus.^[13]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Sussex County.

Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
	0.00	0.00	MD 404 west (Shore Highway) – Denton, Bay Bridge	Maryland state line, western terminus
Scotts Corner	3.23	5.20	DE 36 east (Scotts Store Road) to DE 16 – Greenwood
Bridgeville	6.08	9.78	DE 404 Bus. east (Seashore Highway)
	8.22	13.23	US 13 north (Sussex Highway) – Dover	West end of US 13 overlap
			US 13 Bus. south (Main Street) – Bridgeville Historic District
	10.73	17.27	US 13 south (Sussex Highway) – Seaford, Maryland Beaches US 13 Bus. north / DE 404 Bus. west (Main Street) – Bridgeville	East end of US 13 overlap
	12.38	19.92	DE 18 west (Cannon Road) – Federalsburg	West end of DE 18 overlap
Georgetown	21.65	34.84	US 113 / DE 404 Truck east (Dupont Boulevard) – Milford, Millsboro, Beaches
	22.70	36.53	US 9 west (Market Street) to US 113 – Laurel DE 18 ends	Traffic circle, east end of DE 18 overlap, west end of US 9 overlap
			US 9 Truck west / DE 404 Truck west (Park Avenue)
Gravel Hill			DE 30 (Gravel Hill Road) – Milton, Millsboro
Harbeson	28.72	46.22	DE 5 (Harbeson Road) – Milton, Harbeson, Oak Orchard
Five Points			DE 1D south (Plantation Road) / DE 23 south (Beaver Dam Road)	West end of DE 23 overlap
	35.23	56.70	US 9 east / DE 1 (Coastal Highway) – Rehoboth Beach US 9 Bus. east (Savannah Road) – Lewes DE 23 ends	Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Bannered routes

DE 404 Business

Delaware Route 404 Business
Location:	Bridgeville
Length:	3.34 mi[1] (5.38 km)
Existed:	1999–present

Delaware Route 404 Business (DE 404 Bus.) is a 3.34-mile (5.38 km)^[1] long business route of DE 404 that runs through the town of Bridgeville. The route begins at DE 404 northwest of Bridgeville, heading southeast on two-lane undivided Seashore Highway through agricultural areas with some homes. DE 404 Bus. enters Bridgeville and heads through commercial areas, turning northeast onto Market Street and crossing Norfolk Southern's Delmarva Secondary railroad line. The route passes several homes before intersecting US 13 Bus. and turning south to join that route on South Main Street. The two routes run through more residential areas before leaving Bridgeville and heading through farmland with some development. The road widens into a four-lane divided highway and heads into a commercial area, intersecting US 13 and DE 404. At this point US 13 Bus. and DE 404 Bus. both end, with the road continuing southeast as DE 404.^[13][14] DE 404 Bus. was created in 1999 when DE 404 was rerouted to bypass Bridgeville on the alignment of DE 404 Alt.^[13]

Major intersections
The entire route is in Bridgeville, Sussex County.

mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
0.00	0.00	DE 404 (Seashore Highway/Newton Road)	Western terminus
1.84	2.96	US 13 Bus. north (Main Street)	West end of US 13 Bus. overlap
3.34	5.38	US 13 / DE 404 west (Sussex Highway) – Seaford, Fenwick Island DE 404 east (Seashore Highway) – Georgetown, Beaches US 13 Bus. ends	Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

DE 404 Truck

Delaware Route 404 Truck
Location:	Georgetown
Length:	7.2 mi[15] (11.59 km)

US 9 Truck/DE 404 Truck eastbound approaching split from southbound US 113 south of Georgetown

Delaware Route 404 Truck (DE 404 Truck) is a truck bypass of the section of DE 404 through Georgetown. The route begins at the intersection between US 113 and DE 18/DE 404, heading south along with US 113 on four-lane divided North Dupont Boulevard. The road passes through commercial areas with some farmland, reaching an intersection with US 9. At this point, US 113/DE 404 Truck becomes concurrent with US 9 Truck and the name changes to South Dupont Boulevard. The road heads southeast through woodland with some farm fields and businesses. US 9 Truck/DE 404 Truck split from US 113 by heading north-northeast on two-lane undivided South Bedford Street. The road passes commercial development before heading through farmland with some homes. The routes curve to the north-northwest prior to heading north. US 9 Truck/DE 404 Truck turn east onto Park Avenue and pass through residential areas before crossing Norfolk Southern's Indian River Secondary railroad line. The road runs through agricultural areas and passes to the south of Delaware Coastal Airport, where it makes a curve to the north. US 9 Truck/DE 404 Truck head through a mix of farmland and woodland with some homes to the east of the airport, crossing a Delaware Coast Line Railroad line before ending at US 9/DE 404 east of Georgetown.^[15]

Major intersections
The entire route is in Georgetown, Sussex County.

mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
0.00	0.00	US 113 north (DuPont Boulevard) DE 18 / DE 404 (Seashore Highway) – Bridgeville, Bay Bridge, Georgetown	Western terminus, west end of US 113 overlap
1.16	1.87	US 9 (County Seat Highway/Market Street) – Laurel, Seaford, Georgetown, Lewes US 9 Truck begins	West end of US 9 Truck overlap
2.71	4.36	US 113 south (DuPont Boulevard)	East end of US 113 overlap
7.2	11.6	US 9 / DE 404 (Lewes Georgetown Highway) US 9 Truck ends	Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Former DE 404 Alternate

Delaware Route 404 Alternate
Location:	Bridgeville
Length:	4.65 mi[1] (7.48 km)
Existed:	1990–1999

Delaware Route 404 Alternate (DE 404 Alt.) was a 4.65-mile (7.48 km)^[1] alternate route of DE 404 that bypassed the town of Bridgeville. It ran to the north of Bridgeville on Newton Road and to the east of Bridgeville on US 13.^[16][17] The route was created by 1990.^[12] The alignment of DE 404 Alt.was replaced by DE 404 itself in 1999. The route of DE 404 in Bridgeville then became known as DE 404 Bus.^[13]

Major intersections
The entire route was in Bridgeville, Sussex County.

mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
0.00	0.00	DE 404 (Seashore Highway)	Western terminus
2.14	3.44	US 13 north (Sussex Highway) – Dover	West end of US 13 overlap
		US 13 Bus. south (Main Street) – Bridgeville Historic District
4.65	7.48	US 13 south (Sussex Highway) – Seaford, Maryland Beaches US 13 Bus. north / DE 404 (Main Street/Seashore Highway) – Georgetown, Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Beaches	Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

• U.S. Roads portal
• Delaware portal

References

1. Staff (2011). "Traffic Count and Mileage Report: Interstate, Delaware, and US Routes" (PDF). Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
2. Delaware Department of Transportation (2008). Delaware Official Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
3. Google (November 16, 2011). "overview of Delaware Route 404" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
4. "Delmarva beach forecast for the 4th of July weekend". WJLA-TV. July 1, 2011. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
5. Sottili, Carol (May 20, 2012). "How to beat the beach traffic". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
6. National Highway System: Delaware (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
7. Delaware State Highway Department (1920). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
8. Delaware State Highway Department (1924). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
9. Delaware State Highway Department (1931). Official Road Map of the State of Delaware (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
10. Delaware State Highway Department; The National Survey Co. (1936). Official Road Map of the State of Delaware (PDF) (Map) (1936–37 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
11. Delaware Department of Transportation (1987). Official State Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
12. Delaware Department of Transportation (1990). Official State Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
13. Delaware Department of Transportation (1999). Delaware Official Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
14. Google (November 16, 2011). "overview of Delaware Route 404 Business" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
15. Google (August 6, 2013). "overview of Delaware Route 404 Truck" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
16. Delaware Department of Transportation (1997). Official Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
17. Google (November 16, 2011). "overview of Delaware Route 404 Alternate" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 16, 2011.

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

• Media related to Delaware Route 404 at Wikimedia Commons