Route 54 (Maryland–Delaware): Difference between revisions

|type=MDDEMD

|junction={{plainlist|

|browsesystem1={{Infoboxinfobox road/browselinks/USA|state=DE}}
|browse={{de browse|previous_type=DE|previous_route=52|route=DE 54|next_type=DE|next_route=58}}{{md browse|previous_type=MD|previous_route=53|route=MD 54|next_type=MD|next_route=55}}{{de browse|previous_type=DE|previous_route=30|route=DE 32|next_type=DE|next_route=34}}

'''Maryland Route 54''' ('''MD 54''') and '''Delaware Route 54''' ('''DE 54''') are adjoining state highways in the [[U.S. state]]s of [[Maryland]] and [[Delaware]]. Route 54 runs {{convert|41.84|mi|km|abbr=on}} from [[Maryland Route 313|MD 313]] in [[Mardela Springs, Maryland]], east to [[Delaware Route 1|DE 1]] in [[Fenwick Island, Delaware]]. In addition to two segments in which the highway is completely in Delaware and two segments in which the highway is completely in Maryland, Route 54 follows the Delaware/Maryland state line between the [[Twin cities (geographical proximity)|twin towns]] of [[Delmar, Maryland]], and [[Delmar, Delaware]], and the highway's intersection with [[Maryland Route 353|MD 353]] and [[Delaware Route 26|DE 26]]. One section of the state line portion of Route 54 is maintained by the [[Delaware Department of Transportation]] (DelDOT) while three sections of the highway that follow the state line are maintained by the [[Maryland State Highway Administration]] (MDSHA).

Route 54 was first numbered in two segments in [[Wicomico County, Maryland]], in the late 1930s. '''MD 467''' was assigned to the segment around Mardela Springs while '''MD 455''' was assigned to the state line road near Delmar. The Delaware portions of the highway remained unnumbered until the late 1960s, when DelDOT briefly assigned '''DE 32''' to the highway along the southern edge of [[Sussex County, Delaware|Sussex County]] before designating it DE 54. The Maryland State Roads Commission (now MDSHA) immediately reciprocated by designating its portions MD 54. Route 54 east of [[Selbyville, Delaware|Selbyville]] has become an important route for seasonal beach traffic headed to and from Fenwick Island and [[Ocean City, Maryland|Ocean City]], with suburban development lining the road between [[Delaware Route 20|DE 20]] and the eastern terminus. DelDOT has signed [[Delaware Route 54 Alternate|DE 54 Alternate]] (DE 54 Alt.) as an alternate route to the beaches. Improvements have been made to the route west of Fenwick Island, including building a [[causeway]] to reduce flooding and adding a [[center left-turn lane]].

Route&nbsp;54 begins at an intersection with [[Maryland Route 313|MD&nbsp;313]] in the town of [[Mardela Springs, Maryland|Mardela Springs]] in [[Wicomico County, Maryland]]. MD&nbsp;313 heads north from the intersection as Sharptown Road and west as a short continuation of Delmar Road west to MD&nbsp;313's terminus with [[U.S. Route 50 in Maryland|U.S. Route&nbsp;50]] (US&nbsp;50, Ocean Gateway).<ref name="Wicomico HLR"/><ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/> Route&nbsp;54 heads east as two-lane undivided Delmar Road, passing south of [[Mardela Middle and High School]]. The road parallels Barren Creek on the north toward the Delaware state line, crossing [[Mockingbird Creek (Barren Creek tributary)|Mockingbird Creek]].<ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/> After passing the stone marker indicating the intersection of the [[Transpeninsular Line]] with the southern end of the [[Mason&ndash;Dixon Line]], the highway enters the southwest corner of [[Sussex County, Delaware]], where it intersects Columbia Road at Packing House Corner.<ref name="Wicomico HLR"/><ref name="DelDOT Traffic Report"/><ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/> Route&nbsp;54 continues east until Old Racetrack Road, where the highway turns southeast toward the state line.<ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/> At the intersection with Waller Road, the state highway begins to follow the state line, with Sussex County, Delaware on the north side of the road and Wicomico County, Maryland on the south, and MDSHA maintenance begins.<ref name="Wicomico HLR"/><ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/> Route&nbsp;54 immediately enters the twin towns of [[Delmar, Delaware]], and [[Delmar, Maryland]], and the highway's name changes to West State Street.<ref name="Wicomico HLR"/> The highway crosses the [[Delmarva Central Railroad]]'s Delmarva Subdivision track at-grade south of [[Highball Signal]], where the name changes to East State Street, and meets [[Maryland Route 675|MD&nbsp;675]] (Bi-State Boulevard), the old alignment of [[U.S. Route 13|US&nbsp;13]], in the center of the towns.<ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/> Route 54 continues east toand becomes West Line Road before it modernintersects US&nbsp;13, which is known as Sussex Highway in Delaware and [[Ocean Highway]] in Maryland.<ref name="Wicomico HLR"/><ref name="DelDOT Traffic Report"/> At US&nbsp;13, the highway leaves Delmar and DelDOT assumes maintenance for the highway.<ref name="Wicomico HLR"/>

[[File:DE2022-MD06-23 14 50 18 View east along State Route 54 westbound(East State Street) at MDMaryland State Route 675 (Bi State Boulevard) on the border of Delmar, Sussex County, Delaware and Delmar, Wicomico County, Maryland.jpg|thumb|right|Route&nbsp;54 westboundeastbound atpast MD&nbsp;675/Bi-State Boulevard in Delmar. MarylandDelaware is on the left side of the road and DelawareMaryland is on the right side of the road.]]

Route&nbsp;54 continues east from US&nbsp;13 as East Line Road through farmland and scattered residences along the state line.<ref name="Wicomico HLR"/><ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/> At Brittingham Road, maintenance jurisdiction returns to MDSHA.<ref name="Wicomico HLR"/> Around the intersection with Whitesville Road, Route&nbsp;54 dips into Maryland for a short distance, then returns to following the state line until the intersection with [[Maryland Route 353|MD&nbsp;353]] (Gumboro Road) and [[Delaware Route 26|DE&nbsp;26]] (Millsboro Highway).<ref name="Wicomico HLR"/><ref name="DelDOT Traffic Report"/><ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/> At that intersection, Route&nbsp;54 turns northeast and joins DE&nbsp;26 in a [[concurrency (road)|concurrency]].<ref name="DelDOT Traffic Report"/> From this point, the highway remains in Delaware.<ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/> A short distance north of the state line, [[Delawarethe Routeroad 30|DE&nbsp;30]]intersects (Whitesville Road) joins the concurrency. In [[Gumboro, Delaware|Gumboro]], DE&nbsp;26 and DE&nbsp;30 continuecontinues north while Route&nbsp;54 turns east onto Cypress Road.<ref name="DelDOT Traffic Report"/> Route&nbsp;54 crosses Bald Cypress Branch and the [[Pocomoke River]], then passes through the [[Great Cypress Swamp]]. After crossing the swamp, the highway intersects [[U.S. Route 113|US&nbsp;113]] (Dupont Boulevard) on the west edge of the town of [[Selbyville, Delaware|Selbyville]].<ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/>

[[File:2022-06-23 11 30 22 View east along Delaware State Route 54 eastbound(Lighthouse atRoad) Brittinghamjust Roadeast of South Main Street in Selbyville, Sussex County, Delaware.jpg|thumb|left|Route&nbsp;54 eastbound along the state linein at Brittingham RoadSelbyville, where maintenance changes from DelDOT to MDSHADelaware]]

The section of Route&nbsp;54 east of US&nbsp;113 in Selbyville serves as a main route to Fenwick Island and sees congestion in the summer months.<ref name="wp51906"/> Route&nbsp;54 east of US&nbsp;113 also serves as part of a primary [[hurricane evacuation route]] from the Fenwick Island area to points inland while the section of Route&nbsp;54 between US&nbsp;13 and US&nbsp;113 serves as part of a secondary hurricane evacuation route from the coastal areas.<ref>{{cite map|title=Delmarva Peninsula Evacuation Route Map|publisher=Delaware Department of Transportation|url=https://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/tmt/pdfs/hurricane_evacuation/7_delmarva_peninsula_evacuation_map_rev053107.pdf|access-date=March 22, 2017}}</ref> Route&nbsp;54 has an [[annual average daily traffic]] count ranging from a high of 15,984&nbsp;vehicles at the Old Stage Road intersection in Delmar to a low of 812&nbsp;vehicles at the Cemetery Road intersection west of Selbyville.<ref name="Wicomico HLR"/><ref name="DelDOT Traffic Report"/> None of Route&nbsp;54 is part of the [[National Highway System (United States)|National Highway System]].<ref name="NHSDE"/><ref name="NHSMD"/>

The first non-concurrent portions of Route&nbsp;54 to be numbered were in Maryland in 1939, when MD&nbsp;467 was marked on the portion around Mardela Springs and MD&nbsp;455 was marked on the portion around Delmar, which extended from where Waller Road fully enters Maryland east to Brittingham Road. The portion of road between Brittingham Road and MD&nbsp;353 was county-maintained.<ref name="MD 1939 map"/> MD&nbsp;455 was extended east from Brittingham Road to DE&nbsp;26/MD&nbsp;353 in 1958.<ref name="MD 1958 map"/> In 1968, DE&nbsp;32 was assigned to the entire highway within Delaware; the Maryland sections were still marked as MD&nbsp;467 and MD&nbsp;455.<ref name="DE 1968 map"/><ref name="MD 1968 map"/> The whole highway was marked as Route&nbsp;54 in 1969.<ref name="DE 1969 map"/><ref name="MD 1969 map"/> In addition to the concurrenciesconcurrency with DE&nbsp;26 and DE&nbsp;30, Route&nbsp;54 has been concurrent with DE&nbsp;20. and [[Delaware Route 30|DE&nbsp;30]]. DE&nbsp;20 was extended east of Dagsboro to terminate in Fenwick Island along with Route&nbsp;54 by 1994.<ref name="DE 1994 map"/> DE&nbsp;20's eastern terminus was rolled back to its present location in 2005.<ref name="DE 20 Numbering"/><ref name="DE 2006 map"/> Despite this, some DE&nbsp;20 shields are posted along Route&nbsp;54 between that route's eastern terminus and Fenwick Island.<ref name="Google Maps DE-MD 54"/> DE&nbsp;30 was designated concurrent with Route&nbsp;54 along Millsboro Highway north of Whitesville Road in 1994.<ref name="DE 1994 map"/> The DE&nbsp;30 designation was removed from this section of road in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|title=SR 30 Declassification: Delmar/Laurel to Millsboro|publisher=Delaware Department of Transportation|url=https://deldot.gov/projects/archived/proposed-SR30-declassification-west-of-Millsboro/|accessdate=February 4, 2022}}</ref>

{{DEintJctint

|locationlocation_special=Packing House Corner

|road={{jct|state=MD|road|Waller Road west&nbsp;– [[Hebron, Maryland|city1=Hebron]]}}

|road={{jct|state=DE|DE|26|dir1=begins|name1=Millsboro Highway}}<br>{{jct|state=MD|MD|353|dir1=south|name1=Gumboro Road|road=|Bethel Road east}}

|sspan=109

|cspan=109

|road={{jct|state=DE|DE|3026|dir1=westeast|name1=WhitesvilleMillsboro RoadHighway}}

|notes=WestRoute&nbsp;54 turns east onto Cypress Road; east end of concurrency with DE&nbsp;3026}}

|road={{jct|state=DE|road|Main Street north&nbsp;– [[Frankford, Delaware|city1=Frankford]]}}

|type=DE-Alt

'''Delaware Route&nbsp;54 Alternate''' ('''DE&nbsp;54 Alt.''') is an unsigned [[alternate route]] of DE&nbsp;54 between [[Bunting, Delaware|Bunting]] and DE&nbsp;26 in the town of [[Bethany Beach, Delaware|Bethany Beach]]. The alternate route heads northeast from DE&nbsp;54 on two-lane undivided Johnson Road, passing through a mix of farmland and woodland and crossing [[Dirickson Creek (Little Assawoman Bay tributary)|Dirickson Creek]]. Upon crossing DE&nbsp;20, DE&nbsp;54 Alt. continues north along Bayard Road through more rural areas, crossing [[Bearhole Ditch (Dirickson Creek tributary)|Bearhole Ditch]] and passing through the community of [[Bayard, Delaware|Bayard]]. The route turns east onto Double Bridges Road and continues northeast through forested areas along with a few residential subdivisions, passing north of the [[Assawoman Wildlife Area]]. DE&nbsp;54 Alt. turns east onto Kent Avenue and crosses the [[Assawoman Canal]], where it curves north and passes residential development before ending at DE&nbsp;26 at Bethany Beach.<ref name="google54A"/> DE&nbsp;54 Alt. was designated by 2006.<ref name="DE 2006 map"/>

<ref name="wp51906">{{cite news|title=Delmarva Questions and Answers|worknewspaper=The Washington Post|date=May 19, 2006|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/18/AR2006051800556.html|access-date=April 2, 2017}}</ref>

<ref name="google54A">{{google maps |url=httphttps://goowww.glgoogle.com/maps?saddr=DE-54+W/XfnA9Lighthouse+Rd&daddr=Rd+361/Kent+Ave&hl=en&sll=38.508281,-75.094128&sspn=0.038888,0.084543&geocode=FaznSgIddDmF-w;FZsMTAIdsaaG-w&t=h&mra=ls&z=13|title=overview of Delaware Route 54 Alternate|access-date=December 19, 2013}}</ref>

*{{commons category-inline}}

*[http://www.aaroads.com/delaware/de-054.htm DE &nbsp;54 at AARoads.com]

*[http://www.mdroads.com/routes/040-059.html#md054 MD &nbsp;54 at MDRoads.com]