Interstate 495 (Delaware)
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North end | I-95 / DE 92 in Claymont | |
Location | ||
Country | United States | |
State | Delaware | |
Counties | New Castle | |
Highway system | ||
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Interstate 495 (I-495) is an 11.47-mile-long (18.46 km)
Plans for a bypass of Wilmington to the east date back to 1948 and were incorporated into the Interstate Highway System in 1956. This Interstate bypass was numbered I-495 in the 1960s. Construction of I-495 took place during the course of the 1970s, with the entire length of the highway completed and opened to traffic in 1977. Between 1978 and 1980, I-95 was designated along the I-495 alignment while the South Wilmington Viaduct along I-95 was reconstructed; during this time the route through Wilmington was known as I-895. The US 13/DE 3 interchange in Edgemoor opened in 1988. In 2014, the bridge over the Christina River was closed due to tilting support columns until repairs were completed.
Route description
The road runs through some marshland, crossing
I-495 has an annual average daily traffic count ranging from a high of 105,159 vehicles at the south end of Wilmington near the Christina River to a low of 22,379 vehicles at the ramp to I-95 at the southern terminus.[2] As part of the Interstate Highway System, the entire length of I-495 is a part of the National Highway System,[8] a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.[9]
History
In 1948, the Wilmington Transportation Study proposed two new roads running between the southern end of Wilmington and the Pennsylvania state line to improve traffic flow in the Wilmington area. Route A followed the current alignment of I-95 through the city while Route B bypassed the city to the east along the current alignment of I-495.
On June 28, 1978, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved rerouting I-95 along the I-495 alignment. However, AASHTO disapproved renumbering the alignment of I-95 through Wilmington as I-595.[21] On October 27 of that year, AASHTO gave conditional approval for I-95 through Wilmington to be designated as I-195 from I-95 near Newport north to US 202 while the route from US 202 north to I-95 in Claymont would become I-395.[22] I-895 was designated along the conditionally approved route of I-195 and I-395 on June 25, 1979.[23] In 1980, the South Wilmington Viaduct along I-895 was reconstructed.[24] On November 14, 1980, I-95 and I-495 were returned to their original alignments, with I-895 decommissioned.[25] In 1988, an interchange was built at US 13 and DE 3 in Edgemoor. This interchange was numbered as exit 4, which resulted in the US 13 interchange in Claymont being renumbered from exit 4 to exit 5.[26][27] In February 1988, a tanker drove off the Christina River bridge and exploded, with the truck driver killed. The accident forced the closure of I-495 in order to repair the heat damage to the bridge structure.[28] In 2000, through traffic from I-95 was detoured onto I-495 while I-95 was rebuilt between Wilmington and the Pennsylvania state line.[29]
On June 2, 2014, the bridge over the Christina River was closed after it was discovered that four support columns were tilting.[30] I-495 was indefinitely closed to traffic between the DE 9A and 12th Street interchanges.[31] Delaware Department of Transportation officials later announced plans to have the southbound side of the bridge reopened by Labor Day, with the northbound side to follow by late September.[32] The southbound lanes reopened on July 31,[33] a month earlier than expected, and the northbound lanes reopened on August 23.[34] During the closure, traffic was detoured onto I-95, and several major roads in the Wilmington area experienced increased traffic congestion.[35]
Exit list
The entire route is in New Castle County.
Location | mi[2] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | |
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Southern terminus; exit 5D on I-95 north (Delaware Turnpike) | ||||||
— | I-295 north – New Castle, Delaware Memorial Bridge | Southbound left exit and northbound entrance | ||||
— | To DE 141 – Newport, New Castle | Southbound exit only; access to I-95 south exits 5A-B; serves Wilmington Airport | ||||
Minquadale | 1.98 | 3.19 | 1 | US 13 Bus. – Wilmington | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; also serves US 13 north; access to Wilmington station | |
New Castle Airport and Wilmington station | ||||||
Riverfront Attractions | ||||||
4.45 | 7.16 | 3 | 12th Street | |||
Edgemoor | 5.97 | 9.61 | 4 | US 13 (Governor Printz Boulevard) / DE 3 (Edgemoor Road) – Edgemoor Industrial Park | Signed as exits 4A (DE 3 north/US 13) and 4B (DE 3 south) southbound; southern terminus of DE 3; access to Fox Point State Park and Brandywine Valley Attractions | |
Claymont | 10.83 | 17.43 | 5 | US 13 (Philadelphia Pike) – Claymont | ||
6 | DE 92 (Naamans Road) | Southbound exit only | ||||
11.47 | 18.46 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania state line; northern terminus; exit 11 on I-95 south; entrance ramp begins in Pennsylvania | |||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
See also
- U.S. Roads portal
References
- ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ a b c Staff (2018). "Traffic Count and Mileage Report: Interstate, Delaware, and US Routes" (PDF). Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ a b Report of the State Highway Department of the State of Delaware (PDF) (1962 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. 1962. p. 93. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ a b Annual Report (PDF) (1977 ed.). Dover: Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation. 1977. p. 11. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ a b Delaware Department of Transportation (2017). Official Travel & Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
- ^ a b c Google (May 5, 2010). "Overview of Interstate 495" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
- ^ Bureau of Maintenance and Operations (January 2015). Roadway Management System Straight Line Diagrams (Report) (2015 ed.). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
- Delaware County (PDF)
- ^ Federal Highway Administration (2010). National Highway System: Delaware (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
- ^ Report of the State Highway Department (PDF) (1950 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. July 1, 1950. pp. 27–29. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
- ^ Report of the State Highway Department (PDF) (1956 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. July 1, 1956. pp. 8, 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 7, 2010. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
- ^ Delaware State Highway Department Annual Report (PDF) (1960 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. August 1, 1960. p. 10. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ Annual Report (PDF) (1968 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. June 30, 1968. pp. 18, 20. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ Annual Report (PDF) (1970 ed.). Dover: Delaware State Highway Department. June 30, 1970. p. 19. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ Annual Report (PDF) (1971 ed.). Dover: Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation. November 15, 1971. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ Annual Report (PDF) (1972 ed.). Dover: Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation. October 15, 1972. p. 5. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ Annual Report (PDF) (1973 ed.). Dover: Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation. 1973. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ Annual Report (PDF) (1975 ed.). Dover: Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation. 1975. p. 13. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation (1976). Delaware Highways Official Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
- ^ Annual Report (PDF) (1976 ed.). Dover: Delaware Department of Highways and Transportation. 1976. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 17, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (June 29, 1978). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda Showing Action Taken by the Executive Committee" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 496. Retrieved November 13, 2014 – via Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (October 28, 1978). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda Showing Action Taken by the Executive Committee" (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 497. Retrieved November 13, 2014 – via Wikisource.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (June 25, 1979). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda Showing Action Taken by the Executive Committee" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 501. Retrieved November 13, 2014 – via Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ Federal Highway Administration (2012). "NBI Structure Number: 1748 059". National Bridge Inventory. Federal Highway Administration.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (November 14, 1980). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 519. Retrieved November 13, 2014 – via Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (1987). Official State Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
- ^ Delaware Department of Transportation (1988). Official State Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Dover: Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
- ^ Haner, Jim (February 27, 1988). "Truck Falls Off Span, Explodes; Driver Killed". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ "First Segment of I-95 Southbound Reconstruction". Delaware Department of Transportation. May 19, 2000. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
- WCAU-TV. June 2, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ^ "I-495 Bridge Over Christina River To Remain Closed Indefinitely". Philadelphia: KYW-TV. June 2, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- ^ "Delaware I-495 bridge closed through summer". The News Journal. Wilmington, DE. June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
- ^ Chase, Randall (July 31, 2014). "Damaged Delaware bridge on I-495 partially reopens". Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
- ^ "All I-495 lanes open". The News Journal. Wilmington, DE. August 23, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
- ^ "I-495 bridge closure means weeks of traffic chaos". The News Journal. Wilmington, DE. June 12, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2014.