Delaware Route 273 - Route Description

Route Description

DE 273 begins at the Maryland border in Newark, where it continues west into that state as MD 273. From the state line, the route heads southeast on two-lane undivided Nottingham Road, passing through wooded suburban neighborhoods to the west of downtown Newark. DE 273 becomes West Main Street as it approaches the downtown area, intersecting the southbound direction of DE 896, at which point DE 273 forms a concurrency with southbound DE 896. The road crosses CSX's Philadelphia Subdivision and comes to an intersection with New London Road, which heads northwest as northbound DE 896, and Elkton Road, which heads southwest as DE 2 Bus./DE 896. At this point, DE 273 becomes concurrent with DE 2 Bus. and splits into the one-way pair of West Delaware Avenue eastbound and West Main Street westbound, with eastbound DE 273 briefly following one-way Elkton Road southwest to get from West Main Street to West Delaware Avenue. The one-way pair, which carries two lanes in each direction, becomes concurrent with DE 896 in both directions until the South College Avenue intersection. DE 2 Bus./DE 273 passes through the University of Delaware campus and continues through the commercial downtown as East Delaware Avenue eastbound and East Main Street westbound. Farther east, East Delaware Avenue shifts farther to the south of East Main Street, with the one-way streets passing between a residential neighborhood and coming to an intersection with DE 2/DE 72. At this point, DE 2 Bus. ends and eastbound DE 273 heads north with DE 2/DE 72 on four-lane divided Library Avenue to rejoin westbound DE 273.

Past DE 2/DE 72, DE 273 leaves Newark and heads east on Ogletown Road, a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane that passes through commercial areas, soon becoming a four-lane divided highway. The road continues east and comes to a bridge over Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, curving south into wooded areas with some development. The route turns southeast and reaches an interchange with DE 4 in Ogletown. Past this interchange, DE 273 becomes Christiana Road and heads east through suburban residential neighborhoods with some businesses. The road heads southeast again as it comes to an interchange with I-95 (Delaware Turnpike). Following this, the route heads into more commercial areas and becomes the Christiana Bypass, bypassing the community of Christiana to the southwest. DE 273 heads south into wooded areas and crosses Old Baltimore Pike before curving east and coming to an intersection with DE 7. A short distance later, the road reaches an interchange with the DE 1 freeway.

Following this interchange, DE 273 becomes Christiana Road and heads through woods before entering areas of suburban homes and businesses, coming to an intersection with the southern terminus of DE 37 in Pleasantville. The route continues east through developed areas, intersecting the eastern terminus of DE 58 near the New Castle Airport. A short distance later, the road comes to an intersection with US 13/US 40 in commercial Hares Corner. Past this intersection, DE 273 becomes concurrent with DE 9 Truck and turns into two-lane undivided Frenchtown Road, heading east between business parks to the south and farm fields to the north. DE 273 comes to an intersection with DE 9 and DE 141 to the west of New Castle, where the route, along with DE 9 Truck, officially ends. Despite this, DE 273 signage continues east along DE 9, which heads east toward the New Castle pn Delaware Street. Before reaching the New Castle Historic District after a crossing of Norfolk Southern's New Castle Secondary, DE 9/DE 273 makes a left turn onto Ferry Cut Off Street. DE 273's signed eastern terminus is at Sixth Street near the Delaware River, where DE 9 turns northeast on Sixth Street to head toward toward Wilmington.

DE 273 has an annual average daily traffic count ranging from a high of 49,566 vehicles at the I-95 interchange to a low of 8,760 vehicles at the western edge of Newark. None of DE 273 is part of the National Highway System.