Find Your Connection–Delaware
Leaving Maryland, you are riding on Delaware Route 2 / Elkton Road into the Newark city area. Delaware Route 2 is a busy four-lane road with both bike lanes and a multi-use pathway to utilize while heading north. In Newark, neighborhood streets connect Elkton Road to the James F. Hall Trail. From the Elkton Road multiuse pathway, cross and continue straight onto the Elkton Road access road, turn right onto Chrysler Avenue, and head east for a short period of time. From Chrysler Avenue, turn right onto Bradford Drive and head south until you reach the James F. Hall Trail.
The James F. Hall Trail is an asphalt trail that you utilize for its entire 1.8 miles. Where the trail ends at Wyoming Road near Library Avenue, turn left, and use the crosswalk to cross to the west side of Library Avenue. Then, turn left and use the side path to head south. When you get to the intersection of Library Avenue and Delaware Route 4 / East Chestnut Hill Road, turn left and head east on East Chestnut Hill Road. Delaware Route 4 has a side path and bike lane that is recommended to use while riding with traffic. When you get to Augusta Drive, you need to utilize the light to cross the intersection and then you can continue using the sidewalk or bike lane. After you pass Ogletown, East Chestnut Hill Road changes names to Ogletown Stanton Road, in which you will utilize the bike lane or side path the entire route. When you reach Churchmans Road, turn right to head east following Churchmans Road. Churchmans is a busy road with bike lanes but only intermittent side paths, so please take caution.
Churchmans Road ends at Christiana Road / Delaware Route 273. Here, at Christiana Road, you will use the crosswalks and turn lanes to turn left and head east, using the sidewalk and shoulder of the two-lane road. Following Christiana Road, you will come to a large intersection at US Route 13 and Delaware Route 273. It is highly recommended to use the crosswalks when crossing this extremely busy intersection.
Once on Delaware Route 273 (DE 273) or Frenchtown Road East, use the sidewalk for a short section and then turn left into the New Castle Farmers Market at Sunset Boulevard. Once on Sunset Boulevard, take the first right to go along the side of the farmers market that is parallel to DE 273. Just beyond, take the pathway that parallels DE 273. The trail is small, but all asphalt. You should use caution when passing others. When the asphalt trail comes to an end, you will continue to follow the sidewalk until you get to the intersection of Washington Street and Frenchtown Road East. Continue straight ahead south on Washington Street, which is a busy two-lane road with narrow bike lanes and sidewalks. At the intersection of West 7th Street (DE Route 9) and Washington Street, turn right to head southwest using the bike lane to Clark Street. At Clark Street, turn left and travel south until you reach Battery Park Trail. Turn left once the trail reaches the Delaware River.
Heading northwest, the Battery Park Trail is a flat asphalt path that takes you to Delaware Street, a two-lane neighborhood street. Turn left onto Delaware Street to travel through the historic district of New Castle, where you need to be cautious with cars backing out of parking spaces into your lane of travel. Turn left at East Third Street toward the east. Third Street is a small neighborhood street with parking on the left side. Follow East Third Street to South Street and turn right onto South Street to head north. South Street turns into Young Street. When you get to the intersection of Young Street, 8th Street, and South Street, you can begin to use the Jack A. Markell Trail.
The Jack A. Markell Trail is a 7.9-mile mixed surface trail. More information can be found here. The trail ends at the intersection of South Market Street and Rosa Parks Drive. From there, you will turn left using the sidewalk and crosswalk to reach North Market Street at Martin Luther King Boulevard. From here North Market Street becomes a slow, two-lane street. Continuing straight on North Market Street takes you through the downtown business district of Wilmington, Delaware. There are no bike lanes, so please watch out for car doors and pedestrians. At North Market Street, East 15th Street, and North King Street, turn left to cross the Brandywine River. North Market Street is a busy street and caution should be used when traveling. There are sidewalks you can utilize if needed to cross the bridge. Once across the bridge, turn left and head east on Glen Avenue. Glen Avenue is a two-lane road with sidewalks but no shoulder. After crossing North West Street, Glen Avenue changes to North Park Drive. Stay on North Park Drive until you reach the intersection of North Park Drive and N Van Buren Street and continue straight to enter the 10.4-mile asphalt Northern Delaware Greenway.
The end of the Northern Delaware Greenway is an earthen surface that leads you to the side of US Route 13 known as Governor Printz Boulevard. Use extreme caution here. The shoulder of Governor Printz Boulevard is not protected and in order to head north, you must cross the two-lane road to the other side through a median cut. Once heading north on Governor Printz Boulevard, you will need to use the wide shoulder, however, it does have rumble strips if you get too close to the road. Governor Printz Boulevard leads you to Philadelphia Pike / US 13, where you will take a right and head north. Once on Philadelphia Pike, you can use the unprotected painted bike lane to take you out of the state of Delaware and into eastern Pennsylvania. However, the bike lane isn’t contiguous and there are places with a small shoulder you will have to ride on until the bike lane reappears.
This concludes the route in the state of Delaware. To learn more about traveling through the state of eastern Pennsylvania, please visit the Pennsylvania section of our Find Your Connection on our website...coming soon!
The James F. Hall Trail is an asphalt trail that you utilize for its entire 1.8 miles. Where the trail ends at Wyoming Road near Library Avenue, turn left, and use the crosswalk to cross to the west side of Library Avenue. Then, turn left and use the side path to head south. When you get to the intersection of Library Avenue and Delaware Route 4 / East Chestnut Hill Road, turn left and head east on East Chestnut Hill Road. Delaware Route 4 has a side path and bike lane that is recommended to use while riding with traffic. When you get to Augusta Drive, you need to utilize the light to cross the intersection and then you can continue using the sidewalk or bike lane. After you pass Ogletown, East Chestnut Hill Road changes names to Ogletown Stanton Road, in which you will utilize the bike lane or side path the entire route. When you reach Churchmans Road, turn right to head east following Churchmans Road. Churchmans is a busy road with bike lanes but only intermittent side paths, so please take caution.
Churchmans Road ends at Christiana Road / Delaware Route 273. Here, at Christiana Road, you will use the crosswalks and turn lanes to turn left and head east, using the sidewalk and shoulder of the two-lane road. Following Christiana Road, you will come to a large intersection at US Route 13 and Delaware Route 273. It is highly recommended to use the crosswalks when crossing this extremely busy intersection.
Once on Delaware Route 273 (DE 273) or Frenchtown Road East, use the sidewalk for a short section and then turn left into the New Castle Farmers Market at Sunset Boulevard. Once on Sunset Boulevard, take the first right to go along the side of the farmers market that is parallel to DE 273. Just beyond, take the pathway that parallels DE 273. The trail is small, but all asphalt. You should use caution when passing others. When the asphalt trail comes to an end, you will continue to follow the sidewalk until you get to the intersection of Washington Street and Frenchtown Road East. Continue straight ahead south on Washington Street, which is a busy two-lane road with narrow bike lanes and sidewalks. At the intersection of West 7th Street (DE Route 9) and Washington Street, turn right to head southwest using the bike lane to Clark Street. At Clark Street, turn left and travel south until you reach Battery Park Trail. Turn left once the trail reaches the Delaware River.
Heading northwest, the Battery Park Trail is a flat asphalt path that takes you to Delaware Street, a two-lane neighborhood street. Turn left onto Delaware Street to travel through the historic district of New Castle, where you need to be cautious with cars backing out of parking spaces into your lane of travel. Turn left at East Third Street toward the east. Third Street is a small neighborhood street with parking on the left side. Follow East Third Street to South Street and turn right onto South Street to head north. South Street turns into Young Street. When you get to the intersection of Young Street, 8th Street, and South Street, you can begin to use the Jack A. Markell Trail.
The Jack A. Markell Trail is a 7.9-mile mixed surface trail. More information can be found here. The trail ends at the intersection of South Market Street and Rosa Parks Drive. From there, you will turn left using the sidewalk and crosswalk to reach North Market Street at Martin Luther King Boulevard. From here North Market Street becomes a slow, two-lane street. Continuing straight on North Market Street takes you through the downtown business district of Wilmington, Delaware. There are no bike lanes, so please watch out for car doors and pedestrians. At North Market Street, East 15th Street, and North King Street, turn left to cross the Brandywine River. North Market Street is a busy street and caution should be used when traveling. There are sidewalks you can utilize if needed to cross the bridge. Once across the bridge, turn left and head east on Glen Avenue. Glen Avenue is a two-lane road with sidewalks but no shoulder. After crossing North West Street, Glen Avenue changes to North Park Drive. Stay on North Park Drive until you reach the intersection of North Park Drive and N Van Buren Street and continue straight to enter the 10.4-mile asphalt Northern Delaware Greenway.
The end of the Northern Delaware Greenway is an earthen surface that leads you to the side of US Route 13 known as Governor Printz Boulevard. Use extreme caution here. The shoulder of Governor Printz Boulevard is not protected and in order to head north, you must cross the two-lane road to the other side through a median cut. Once heading north on Governor Printz Boulevard, you will need to use the wide shoulder, however, it does have rumble strips if you get too close to the road. Governor Printz Boulevard leads you to Philadelphia Pike / US 13, where you will take a right and head north. Once on Philadelphia Pike, you can use the unprotected painted bike lane to take you out of the state of Delaware and into eastern Pennsylvania. However, the bike lane isn’t contiguous and there are places with a small shoulder you will have to ride on until the bike lane reappears.
This concludes the route in the state of Delaware. To learn more about traveling through the state of eastern Pennsylvania, please visit the Pennsylvania section of our Find Your Connection on our website...coming soon!