Delaware Route 100

Delaware Route 100

Delaware Route 100, often called DE 100, is a state highway in New Castle County, Delaware. It starts near the town of Elsmere at DE 4 and goes north to the border with Pennsylvania near Montchanin. There, the road becomes Pennsylvania State Route 3100, also called Chadds Ford Road. DE 100 passes through many suburban neighborhoods in the northern part of the county.

The route meets several other roads. It crosses DE 2 in Elsmere and then shares a path with DE 48 and DE 141 from just west of Wilmington up to Greenville. In Greenville, drivers can switch to DE 52 using an interchange. After Greenville, DE 100 continues on its own until it meets DE 92 in Montchanin before reaching the Pennsylvania border.

DE 100 was first built in the 1930s. It originally ran from DE 52 to the Pennsylvania border, linking up with Pennsylvania Route 100 (PA 100). In 2003, the southern end of PA 100 was shortened, so it no longer reaches the state line. By the 1970s, DE 100 had been extended south to connect with DE 4. Finally, by 1990, the route was changed to include parts of DE 48 and DE 141.

Route description

Delaware Route 100, or DE 100, is a state highway in New Castle County, Delaware. It starts at a crossing with DE 4 near the city of Wilmington. It goes north through suburban and residential areas. The road passes through the town of Elsmere and continues northwest as South Dupont Road, which is wider with divided lanes.

As DE 100 goes on, it meets other roads and passes through wooded and commercial areas. It joins DE 48 for a short distance before splitting off and going north. The route goes through Montchanin and near the Winterthur Museum, ending at the border with Pennsylvania, where the road continues as SR 3100. Some parts of DE 100 have heavy traffic, especially near intersections with other major roads.

History

The Dupont Road part of this route was built a long time ago in the 1800s by the DuPont Company. They used it to carry important materials to the Christina River for shipping.

By 1920, the road we now call DE 100 was just a local country road. It became a state highway in the 1930s, and by 1938 it officially started in Greenville and went up to the border with Pennsylvania. Later, in 1971, the road was extended further south. In 2002, part of DE 100 was named a special scenic highway, and in 2005 it got even more recognition.

In 2015, a bridge that carried DE 100 over a railroad in Elsmere had to be closed for quick fixes, but it was fixed and reopened soon after.

Major intersections

The whole route of Delaware Route 100 is in New Castle County.

Location	mi	km	Destinations
Elsmere	0.00	0.00	DE 4 (Maryland Avenue)
	0.73	1.17	DE 2 (Kirkwood Highway) – Wilmington
Wilmington	1.64	2.64	DE 48 east (Lancaster Avenue)
	2.67	4.30	DE 48 west (Lancaster Pike) – Hockessin, Lancaster DE 141 south (Centre Road) – Newport
Greenville	3.86	6.21	DE 52 – Greenville, Wilmington
	4.14	6.66	DE 141 north (Barley Mill Road) Montchanin Road to DE 52
Montchanin	6.28	10.11	DE 92 east (Thompson Bridge Road)
	8.99	14.47	SR 3100 north (Chadds Ford Road)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access