End of US highway 113 |
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1927-2004
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2004-present
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US 113 originally functioned as an alternate route for US 13 through the Delmarva Peninsula:
c. 1940, Rand McNally
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Ever since the advent of US highways in 1926, the south end of US 113 has been in Pocomoke City. Traffic originally came into Pocomoke from the northeast via what is now called Old Snow Hill Road and Linden Avenue. This interactive image is looking south on Market Street/old US 13:
It is uncertain which road US 113 traffic used to connect to Market, but it likely would have been Clarke Avenue, in which case the south beginning of US 113 was to the left. But already by the mid-1930s US 113 had been moved to what is now called "Bypass Road", which in turn connected with the northernmost segment of Old Virginia Road. US 13 remained on Market until around 1960, so for about 25 years, the south terminus of US 113 was a little further south and west of its current endpoint:
c. 1943, USGS
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...however, historically US 113 continued straight ahead on Old Virginia, ending at Market:
Today, historic US 13 is designated as Business 13, and it is signed with green US route shields.
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For nearly 80 years, the north end of US 113 was in Dover. Originally US 13 followed State Street through downtown. South of there, US 13 veered onto Governors Avenue and more or less joined its current alignment. But if a driver were to continue south on State, they would have been on the north beginning of US 113. This photo was looking south on US 13, or Dupont Highway:
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Field/Nitzman, Aug. 2007
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Originally US 13 came in from the right on State, and continued straight ahead. To the left on State was the north beginning of US 113. Here, we are on northbound US 13:
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Field/Nitzman, Aug. 2007
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US 13 continued to the left on State, but to the right on State is where US 113 originally began:
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Field/Nitzman, Aug. 2007
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In 1929 Governors Av. was extended north so that it could function as a bypass for State. Some maps indicate that US 13 traffic might have been moved to Governors at that time. If so, then US 113 might have been extended north on State, through downtown, ending where Governors comes back in. This interactive image is looking south on State:
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Originally US 13 veered to the left, staying on State. But in 1929 it is possible that US 13 was directed to veer right onto Governors, and it may have been US 113 that began to the left.
But that would have lasted only until 1936 anyway, because at that time the northern segment of the DuPont Highway was completed, so US 113 traffic was directed onto it. Here, we are looking south on DuPont: |
At the time, US 13 still curved to the right to follow State and/or Governors, and straight ahead was the north beginning of US 113.
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But in 1951, when the southern segment of DuPont was completed, that allowed US 13 traffic to bypass the downtown area. So US 13 continued ahead on DuPont, and US 113 was truncated to the point where Bay Road splits off. These photos were from southbound US 13, at the former north beginning of US 113; this is Bay Road to the left:
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Nitzman, Apr. 2004
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Field/Nitzman, Aug. 2007
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The backside of that sign bridge is visible in this photo, but this sign is no longer there:
Nitzman, Apr. 2004
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This shot shows the first US 113 shield as one headed south from its former north beginning in Dover:
Nitzman, 2000
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In 2004 DelDoT successfully applied to have the US 113 designation truncated to Milford, in order to eliminate the US 113/DE 1 concurrency. This photo was taken from southbound DE 1:
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Field/Nitzman, Aug. 2007
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To the right is now the official north beginning of US 113. The sign in the gore points to the right and says "SOUTH US 113", and across from there is a "Begin" assembly, shown close-up here:
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Field/Nitzman, Aug. 2007
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Research and/or photo credits: Nathan Edgars; Andy Field; JP Nasiatka; Steven Nelson; Alex Nitzman; Dale Sanderson
Page originally created 2000;
last updated August 26, 2016.
last updated August 26, 2016.
