After running through the downtown area, the route becomes East Main Street and heads east through suburban commercial development in the eastern part of Middletown, passing to the north of Middletown High School and becoming Middletown Odessa Road. The roadway heads south of the Christiana Care Middletown Free-standing Emergency Department before it becomes a divided highway, passing south of a park and ride lot and intersecting the DE 1 toll road at a diamond interchange on the eastern border of Middletown.
The route curves south before makes a turn southeast onto Taylors Bridge Road and ends a short distance later at DE 9 in the community of Mathews Corners. At this intersection, DE 9 heads northeast on Thomas Landing Road and  southeast along Taylors Bridge Road.