UPDATE: Great work from Duffy! This is what I call action. It appears that the road is not private according to the DuPont Country Club, however there appears to be some grey area surrounding the road, regarding a bike route or an auto route, but since cars use the road my assumption is that you can use it too.
Ok so my anti social behavior has gotten the best of me. If any of you derilects (yes you too hube) feel like taking a ride on the wild side feel free to whip up and down the road this weekend.
Don’t forget your Dellib.net bumpersticker!
I know I will be taking a little tour up and down tht road.
Again great work Duffy, although I guess i could have done that…but I didn’t want to 🙂
I know this gets away from the Pooter Libby thing, but I was just wondering.
Us Brandywine Hundred Folk are curious. It seems like The DuPont family is saying it is a Private road. I was wondering if anyone could or knows how to find out if part of this road is no longer for “public” use and has been “given” to the DuPonts to be used as their personal driveway through the valley to avoid traffic.
Part of the road goes through Edenridge and should be public but there is a portion that comes right out to the Country Club that has 2 pillars that basically implies it is a private road.
Update: On the pillars are two white signs that read “Do Not Trespass”. Which doesn’t mean private road, it is interesting wording to say the least.
I think this could be a real delawareliberal find if we can get an answer on this!
here is a picture of where I am talking about
The street to the left, across from the tennis courts.
DelawareLiberal.Net 
July 3, 2007 at 9:55 am
More importantly, who’s paying for the upkeep on the road? If DelDOT crews are fixing that road, it ain’t private.
July 3, 2007 at 9:59 am
well I assume once we find out if the entire road is private that question will come to light too.
there are a bunch of houses along the road and it is interesting to say the least.
my father said he remembered using that road as a kid so he was surprised when he saw the sign implying the road is now private.
the rebel in me says to use the road and see what a security guy says to me…
July 3, 2007 at 10:25 am
Hah, you will end up in the dungeons of Granogue.
July 3, 2007 at 10:36 am
Ask Tommie Little, former legislator and current attorney. He would know.
July 3, 2007 at 11:00 am
“My father said he remembered using that road as a kid so he was surprised when he saw the sign implying the road is now private.”
Don V, they made it a private road so nutjob John DuPont could drive his tank to the golf course without running over anyone’s Mercedes.
July 3, 2007 at 11:03 am
thanks,
i have tommie little on my speed dial
July 3, 2007 at 12:32 pm
If you check the tax map for the location, you will have your answer. Blackgates Rd ends at Rockland Road. The Google map, if anything, shows Blackgates running parallel to the private drive. In NCC it is not uncommon to find various ‘private roads’ with houses along either side. These are deeded right of ways to otherwise landlocked parcels. Maintenance of such private roads is borne by property owners along the roads. The reason most are paved is because property owners have had them paved. Many lenders will not lend to borrowers if the access road is not paved. In this particular instance, it appears that the paved access is a right of way as opposed to a private road. A private road would have a parcel number. As a right of way there may be a deed restriction that establishes maintenance responsibility. You can check out the tax map at the link included or do a tax map search for tax map 06-099.00.
Click to access map6_99.pdf
July 3, 2007 at 12:38 pm
I just got off a live chat with DelDot. The transcript was as follows:
Chat InformationRouting your chat request to a Delaware.gov representative. You are person 1 of 1 waiting to be served. A representative will be with you shortly. Important: Please do not provide sensitive information (such as social security numbers, etc.) while chatting with a Delaware.gov representative.
Chat InformationYou are now chatting with ‘Jefre’
Jefre: Hello. How may I help you?
you: Hi
you: I have a question about a particular road
you: Blackgates road in Wilmington has signage to indicate that is might be private and was wondering if you knew if it was
Jefre: Please wait while I get an answer to your question. Thank you.
you: sure
Jefre: Your patience is appreciated. I will be with you shortly
Jefre: Still looking…
you: OK
Jefre: Ok, this is what I was able to find out. As far as we can tell, Blackgates Road is a public road. However, the part that may be private is the area that line the DuPont Country club…
Jefre: Also, Delaware Department of Transportation has it on their bike route path.
Jefre: I also just got off the phone with the DuPont country club. They said that it was not a private road.
July 3, 2007 at 12:59 pm
…which makes it an excellent site for demonstrations!
July 3, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Duffy,
that is exactly what I thought
damn good work out of you my man!
July 3, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Yup, this is where I grew up and I always traveled on this road. They gave it its own underpass too (linking to Rockland?), under freaking 141 near the A.I duPont hospital. The last time I was on 141 as I went to a meeting at the DuPont Country Club, I couldn’t figure out where that intersection had got to and had to go out to Concord Pike to the St. Mary Magdeline Church and head in from there through Sharpley. Unreal.
We all know where we need underpasses in our crowded state. EVERYWHERE! especially for the major routes like 896 near Bear/Glasgow, 273 from Newark to New Castle. So what justified an underpass to little old Blackgates?
Chick Laird lived at the estate there on the corner of Blackgates and Rockland. I was chased out of there by security as a teen in there with my then bff, just looking for some privcy!
July 3, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Answer, Pete duPont lived on Rockland Road just down the road. I think I heard that he has since moved.
July 4, 2007 at 10:39 am
in Covered Bridge, west of Newark, all the roads are private (actually right of ways as described by Sue Cheri). No signage indicates restricted access, but the roads are maintained by the HOA, not DelDot.
This is not something you can tell from mapquest or google.
July 4, 2007 at 11:31 am
Thanks DV! Glad I could help.
July 5, 2007 at 10:14 am
“No signage indicates restricted access, but the roads are maintained by the HOA, not DelDot.”
There you go; just wait ’til it snows, and see who plows it. My parents live in a development that’s on a private road, and also just outside Newark city limits, so the households have to hire a plow on their own.
July 5, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Wait this makes no sense. My development has to hire a plow as well yet they’re supposed to be public roads. If they are not, then do traffic laws still apply?
Either: They are public which means the state has to plow them and can patrol them
Or: They are private which means they cannot patrol them and have no requirement to plow
Right?
August 8, 2007 at 1:18 am
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