Delaware Route 42

Delaware Route 42 marker

Delaware Route 42
Route information
Maintained by DelDOT
Length: 12.72 mi[1] (20.47 km)
Major junctions
West end: DE 6 in Blackiston
  DE 300 in Kenton
DE 15 in Seven Hickories
US 13 in Cheswold
East end: DE 9 in Leipsic
Location
Counties: Kent
Highway system

Routes in Delaware

← DE 41DE 44 →

Delaware Route 42 (DE 42) is a state highway in Kent County, Delaware. It runs from DE 6 in Blackiston east to DE 9 in Leipsic. DE 42 passes through rural areas along with the towns of Kenton and Cheswold. The route intersects DE 300 in Kenton, DE 15 between Seven Hickories and Moores Corner, and U.S. Route 13 (US 13) in Cheswold. The road was built as a state highway during the 1920s and 1930s. DE 42 was designated by 1936 between Kenton and Leipsic and extended to Blackiston by 1966.

Route description

DE 42 eastbound past US 13 in Cheswold

DE 42 begins at an intersection with DE 6 in Blackiston. Northwest of DE 6, the road continues as Longridge Road, which runs to the Maryland border where it becomes Maryland Route 330 (MD 330). MD 330 heads west through Kent County, Maryland and, by way of MD 313, provides access to US 301. From the western terminus, DE 42 heads southeast on two-lane undivided Blackiston Road. The route passes through agricultural areas with some woods and homes. The road reaches Kenton, where it becomes Commerce Street. In Kenton, the route crosses an abandoned railroad line and passes homes, intersecting with DE 300 in the center of town.[2][3]

Past Kenton, DE 42 continues to the east-southeast on Seven Hickories Road, running through farmland with woods and residences. In Seven Hickories, the route intersects DE 15 and the two routes head east for a concurrency. In Moores Corner, DE 15 splits from DE 42 by heading southeast on Kenton Road. DE 42 continues east-northeast through woodland and homes, passing to the south of Delaware Airpark. The route enters Cheswold, where it becomes Main Street. The road passes homes in the town, crossing Norfolk Southern's Delmarva Secondary railroad line. DE 42 runs past more residences and businesses before coming to an intersection with US 13 on the eastern edge of Cheswold.[2][3]

After the US 13 intersection, the route continues northeast on Fast Landing Road. DE 42 passes over the DE 1 toll road, where it has ramps for emergency vehicles but no public access. The road heads through farmland with some woodland and residences, curving to the east. Farther east, the route turns southeast into marshland adjacent to the Leipsic River. DE 42 enters the town of Leipsic where it heads east into residential areas and ends at DE 9. Past the eastern terminus, the road continues east as Second Street.[1][3]

DE 42 has an annual average daily traffic count ranging from a high of 8,800 vehicles at the Commerce Street intersection in Cheswold to a low of 516 vehicles at the eastern terminus at DE 9.[1] None of DE 42 is part of the National Highway System.[4]

History

By 1920, what is now DE 42 existed as an unimproved county road.[5] The road was completed as a state highway between Kenton and Lepisic by 1924.[6] By 1932, the route was under construction as a state highway between Blackiston and Kenton.[7] When Delaware created its state highway system by 1936, DE 42 was assigned to its current alignment between DE 300 in Kenton and DE 9 in Leipsic and the state highway between Blackiston and Kenton was completed.[8] By 1966, the route was extended to Blackiston.[9]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Kent County.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Blackiston0.000.00 DE 6 (Millington Road) – Millington, Clayton, Smyrna
Kenton3.736.00 DE 300 (Main Street) – Hartly, Sudlersville, Clayton, Smyrna
Seven Hickories DE 15 north (Brenford Road)West end of DE 15 overlap
Moores Corner7.1511.51 DE 15 south (Kenton Road)East end of DE 15 overlap
Cheswold8.8114.18 US 13 (Dupont Highway) – Smyrna, Dover
Leipsic12.7220.47 DE 9 (Denny Street) – Bombay Hook Ref., Woodland Beach, Little Creek
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Staff (2011). "Traffic Count and Mileage Report: Interstate, Delaware, and US Routes" (PDF). Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Delaware Department of Transportation (2008). Delaware Official Transportation Map (PDF) (Map) (2008 ed.). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Google (August 20, 2010). "overview of Delaware Route 42" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  4. ↑ National Highway System: Delaware (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  5. ↑ Delaware State Highway Department (1920). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map) (1920 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  6. ↑ Delaware State Highway Department (1924). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map) (1924 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  7. ↑ Delaware State Highway Department (1932). Official Road Map (PDF) (Map) (1932 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  8. ↑ 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 March 22, 2012.
  9. ↑ Delaware State Highway Department (1966). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map) (1966 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. Retrieved March 22, 2012.

External links

Route map: Bing