DE 16 begins at the
Maryland border in the community of
Hickman in
Kent County, where the road continues west into that state as
MD 16. From the state line, the route heads east on two-lane undivided Hickman Road, passing through a mix of farmland and woodland with some homes. The road crosses
Marshyhope Creek in the community of
Adamsville and enters
Sussex County, curving to the southeast. DE 16 comes to an intersection with
DE 36, at which point it turns east to form a
concurrency with that route. The road enters the town of
Greenwood and becomes Market Street, passing several homes along with a few businesses. The highway crosses the
Delmarva Central Railroad's Delmarva Subdivision line at-grade before it intersects
US 13 on the eastern edge of Greenwood. Past this intersection, DE 16/DE 36 leaves Greenwood and becomes Beach Highway, crossing the
Nanticoke River. In
Saint Johnstown, the road becomes a
divided highway and DE 36 splits from DE 16 by heading to the northeast on Shawnee Road. DE 16 soon becomes undivided again and continues east through agricultural areas and woods with some residences, crossing
Toms Dam Branch and running through the community of
Owens. Farther east, the road passes through the community of
Oakley and crosses
West Branch Gum Branch and then
Gum Branch. The route comes to an intersection with
US 113 near a few businesses, where it is briefly a divided highway. Past this intersection, the name changes to Milton Ellendale Highway and the two-lane undivided road enters the town of
Ellendale, where it becomes Main Street. In Ellendale, DE 16 runs past several homes, crossing the Delmarva Central Railroad's Indian River Subdivision line at-grade. The road leaves the town and becomes Milton Ellendale Highway again, turning southeast. The route heads through woodland and farms, running immediately to the north of the Delmarva Central Railroad's Milton Industrial Track line. DE 16 turns east away from the railroad tracks and comes to an intersection with
DE 30. At this point,
DE 5 Alternate (DE 5 Alt.), which runs south along DE 30, heads east concurrent with DE 16. The road reaches the town of
Milton, where it passes homes and businesses. DE 16 comes to an intersection with
DE 5, where DE 5 Alt. ends and the road name changes to Broadkill Road. The route leaves Milton and continues into farmland with a few residences, turning to the northeast. The road intersects
DE 1 and passes north of a golf course before it runs through a mix of farms and woods with some homes. DE 16 turns east and northeast through marshland within the
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge before crossing Broadkill Sound and reaching the community of
Broadkill Beach. Here, the route intersects Bay Shore Drive before ending at a dead end on the
Delaware Bay. DE 16 also serves as part of a primary
hurricane evacuation route from Broadkill Beach and the Delaware Beaches to points inland. The section of the route between DE 30 near Milton and Broadkill Beach is designated as part of the
Delaware Bayshore Byway, a
Delaware Byway and
National Scenic Byway. DE 16 has an
annual average daily traffic count ranging from a high of 9,681 vehicles at the eastern edge of Greenwood to a low of 2,196 vehicles at west end of the DE 36 concurrency. ==History==