U.S. Route 40 (US 40) is a US highway running from Silver Summit, Utah, east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the US state of Delaware, it serves as a major east–west highway in northern New Castle County, just south of Wilmington. It runs from the Maryland state line west of Glasgow east to the Delaware Memorial Bridge over the Delaware River to New Jersey, at which point it is concurrent with Interstate 295 (I-295). Along the way, US 40 passes through suburban areas in Glasgow and Bear before running concurrent with US 13 and I-295 around New Castle. US 40 is a multilane divided highway the entire length across Delaware, with the section concurrent with I-295 a freeway.
US 40 was originally built as a state highway during the 1920s, comprising Elkton Road and a part of the Dupont Highway. When first designated, the route followed these two roads from the Maryland state line to Wilmington, where it crossed the Delaware River on a ferry to Penns Grove, New Jersey. In 1928, the route was rerouted at Hares Corner to head east into New Castle and cross the river on a ferry to Pennsville, New Jersey. The entire length of US 40 west of Hares Corner was widened to a divided highway during the 1930s. The Delaware Memorial Bridge opened in 1951, and US 40 was rerouted north along US 13 before heading east along the bridge approach, with Delaware Route 273 (DE 273) extended east along the former route into New Castle. In 1959, the Delaware Memorial Bridge approach became a part of I-295. Between the 1960s and 1990s, US 301 ran along the US 13/US 40 concurrency and US 301N followed US 40 between Glasgow and State Road from the 1970s to the 1980s.
Route description
US 40 enters Delaware from Maryland west of Glasgow, heading east on four-lane divided Pulaski Highway (which originates in Baltimore). From the state line, the route passes near residential subdivisions. Upon reaching Glasgow, the road continues into commercial areas and the median of the road widens to include businesses in it. US 40 passes north of the Peoples Plaza shopping center and comes to an intersection with DE 896 Bus. in the center of the community. The median of the road narrows as it reaches a junction with DE 896 on the eastern edge of Glasgow. Past this junction, the route runs between Glasgow Park to the north and a mix of development and woods to the south, crossing Belltown Run. US 40 passes through residential and business areas and comes to an intersection with DE 72. Past this intersection, the road curves to the northeast, crossing Norfolk Southern's Delmarva Secondary railroad line at-grade. The route heads through a mix of wooded areas and businesses as it enters Bear, intersecting Salem Church Road/Porter Road. US 40 continues through suburban development with some farm fields, passing to the south of the Wilmington University Athletic Complex. The road widens to six lanes at the Walther Road/Glendale Boulevard junction before reaching an intersection with DE 7 in a business area.
Past this intersection, US 40 comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with the DE 1 freeway. After this interchange, the route narrows to four lanes and passes more development and some farm fields, reaching a westbound right-in/right-out with Appleby Road. Farther east, US 40 heads through business areas immediately to the north of Norfolk Southern's New Castle Secondary railroad line as it reaches a directional intersection with US 13 in State Road; this intersection has no access from northbound US 13 to westbound US 40.
At this point, US 40 heads northeast for a concurrency with US 13 on South Dupont Highway, an eight-lane divided highway. DE 9 Truck also runs concurrent with US 13/US 40 at this point. The road runs through commercial areas, coming to an intersection with DE 273 in Hares Corner. At this point, DE 9 Truck splits from US 13/US 40 by heading east along DE 273. Past this intersection, US 13/US 40 becomes North Dupont Highway and passes between Wilmington Airport to the northwest and businesses to the southeast as it runs along the western border of the city of New Castle for a short distance, reaching a partial cloverleaf interchange with the southern terminus of US 202 and DE 141 at the end of the airport property. Following this, the two routes narrow to six lanes, heading to the northwest of the Main Campus of Wilmington University and running through more commercial areas in Wilmington Manor. Along this stretch, the route gains an eastbound combined right turn, bus, and bicycle lane. The road loses the eastbound combined right turn, bus, and bicycle lane before passing over the Jack A. Markell Trail and reaching an interchange with I-295 in Farnhurst.