Interstate 495 provides a six-lane bypass with 65 MPH speed limits for the city of Wilmington. The freeway allows Baltimore to Philadelphia through traffic a faster ride through the eastern half of the Wilmington metropolitan area. Interstate 495 includes five interchanges overall and two for the city of Wilmington. The freeway itself generally parallels the Delaware River and U.S. 13 (Governor Printz Boulevard). Partial "Y" interchanges provide the junctions with Interstate 95 at each end.
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Southbound at the Exit 5 off-ramp to U.S. 13 (Philadelphia Pike) and Claymont. Claymont represents the area between Naamans Road, Interstate 95, Harvey Road, and Interstate 495. The community features several older subdivisions and the CitiSteel industrial complex on U.S. 13 north of Exit 5. South of the freeway U.S. 13 departs Philadelphia Pike for Governor Printz Boulevard in one mile. U.S. 13 Business continues Philadelphia Pike southward into the city of Wilmington. Philadelphia Pike originally was known as Wilmington Post Road. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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The first southbound Interstate 495 reassurance shield resides within the Exit 5 partial cloverleaf interchange. All Interstate 495 mainline shields are 2000-installed bubble shields. In the background is the Myrtle Avenue overpass between U.S. 13 and the SEPTA Regional Rail Claymont Station. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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Five miles south of Claymont is the next Interstate 495 interchange at Edgemoor (Exit 4). The uninterrupted stretch features U.S. 13 (Governor Printz Boulevard) to the west and the Amtrak & Norfolk Southern Railroad lines, Fox Point State Park, and the Delaware River to the east. Pictured here is the one-mile guide sign for the Exit 4A off-ramp to U.S. 13 (Governor Printz Boulevard) and Delaware 3 north (Edgemoor Road). Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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Portions of the Dupont Industrial plant come into view one half mile north of the Exit 4A off-ramp. Exit 4 opened to traffic in 1989 to serve northeast Wilmington and the Bellefonte area east of the city. The southbound direction sees two off-ramps with Exit 4A directly linking Interstate 495 to Governor Printz Boulevard. Northbound is allocated one ramp to Hay Road. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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Interstate 495 southbound at the Exit 4A ramp departure to U.S. 13 (Governor Printz Boulevard). The ramp intersects U.S. 13 nearby at Stuyvesant Drive just 200 yards or so north of the Governor Printz Boulevard intersection with Edgemoor Road (Delaware 3). U.S. 13 enters the city limits of Wilmington as Northeast Boulevard one mile to the west. Delaware 3 travels northward to Marsh Road and Philadelphia Pike en route to Arden. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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A loop ramp carries Exit 4B motorists onto Delaware 3 (Edgemoor Road) southbound for the Edgemoor Industrial Park and Hay Road. Delaware 3 itself ends on the other side of the interchange at Hay Road. Hay Road however continues southward to the 12th Street Extension east of Exit 3 on Cherry Island. Hay Road northbound enters Fox Point State Park otherwise. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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The one-mile guide sign of Exit 3 resides between the Exit 4A off-ramp and Exit 4 on-ramp from U.S. 13. Drawing into view to the southwest is the skyline of Wilmington. Twelfth Street provides access to the East Lawn section of the city by way of the Exit 3 diamond interchange. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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Recently installed 0.50-mile guide sign for Exit 3 (Twelfth Street) on Interstate 495 southbound. Twelfth Street links Interstate 495 with Hay Road to the east and U.S. 13 (Northeast Boulevard) to the west. The two to four lane surface street traverses industrial areas and ghetto like neighborhoods on the trek between the freeway and Northeast Boulevard. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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The replacement overhead for Twelfth Street at the Exit 3 off-ramp on Interstate 495 south. Lighting fixtures were removed with the new sign installation. 12th Street itself was envisioned as a potential freeway spur from Interstate 495 into downtown Wilmington. However opposition and funding issues cancelled that proposal and the existing 12th Street Extension was built as a compromise. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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Interstate 495 southbound ascends the six-lane Christina River bridge from Cherry Island. Variable Speed Limit signs posted in early 2004 were operational by Summer 2004. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Close-up view of the one-mile guide sign for Exit 2 (Delaware 9A) on Interstate 495 southbound. Delaware 9A comprises a loop from Delaware 9 (New Castle Avenue) to the Port of Wilmington facility in south Wilmington. The state highway follows Christina Avenue southeast from U.S. 13 & Delaware 9 (Heald Street) to Old Ferry Road and the Port entrance. From there Delaware 9A turns westward along Terminal Avenue. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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Crossing the Christina River on Interstate 495 southbound in the city of Wilmington. The central business district of Wilmington pervades the western horizon from high atop the river bridge. Below is the Shellpot Bridge of the Norfolk Southern Railroad system. A $13.9 million renovation of the swing bridge over the Christina River was underway at the time of the photograph. Closed since 1994 due to structural defiencies found in its foundation, the Norfolk Southern Railroad Company purchased the 116-year-old span from Conrail in 1999. The opening of the bridge allows NS to move freight trains from rails on the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor. Thus the Port of Wilmington receives better rail access and can become more competitive.1 Photo taken 03/27/04 |
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Descending southward on Interstate 495 over the Christina River. Passing underneath the freeway here is Christina Avenue and another Norfolk Southern Railroad line. Christina Avenue represented the final leg of Delaware 48 originally. The surface roadway used to provide access to the Wilmington to Penns Grove Ferry crossing. When the Delaware Memorial Bridge opened to traffic in 1951, the ferry service ceased to exist. Delaware 48 then saw truncation westward to the intersection of Market Street with Wilmington Boulevard and 2nd Street. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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The one-half mile overhead for Delaware 9A (Terminal Avenue) was replaced on June 12, 2005 with Delaware's first slotted sign. Slotted signs are used in the state of Alabama and the city of Newark, New
Jersey. This type of overhead features a metal grid that allows winds to pass through the signs to prevent wind damage. The sign used for Exit 2 resides near the crest of the high-level Christiana River
Bridge. Photo taken 07/04/05.
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Interstate 495 southbound at the Exit 2 off-ramp to Delaware 9A (Terminal Avenue). Terminal Avenue travels east from Delaware 9 (New Castle Avenue) to Christina Avenue and Old Ferry Road at the Port of Wilmington. Delaware 9 follows New Castle Avenue northward out of the city of New Castle into the South Bridge neighborhood of the city. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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The first sign of the impending terminus of Interstate 495 at Interstate 95 & 295 resides just south of the Exit 2 on-ramp. The mainline defaults onto Interstate 95 south with two lanes. The left-hand lane becomes exit only for Interstate 295 north. Brackets remain to the right from a Delaware 141 two mile guide sign for the Exit 5 interchange of Interstate 95. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Four lanes of Interstate 495 pass over Delaware 9 (New Castle Avenue) between Exit 2 and the Exit 1 partial cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway). A new overhead exists one mile north of the Exit 1 off-ramp for the New Castle Airport and Wilmington Transit Center. The Transit Center control point refers to the Wilmington train station at Market and Front Streets. The facility serves both Amtrak and the SEPTA (Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority) R2 Regional Rail line. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Until 2000 the Exit 1 off-ramp consisted of a directional ramp from Interstate 495 south to U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) southbound only. Expansion of the ramp to allow for movements to U.S. 13 (Heald Street) and U.S. 13 Business (Market Street) were introduced to the interchange in a 2000 construction project. The U.S. 13 north green out was added to the panel to reflect the new ramp. Passing by in the background is the Rogers Road overpass. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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The right-hand lane departs for U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) at Exit 1. North of the interchange is the split between U.S. 13 (Heald Street) and U.S. 13 Business (Market Street). The Market Street gateway to the city is by far the best access to downtown Wilmington from Interstate 495. U.S. 13 southbound otherwise intersects Interstate 295 & U.S. 40 two miles to the south. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Traveling the Exit 1 off-ramp of Interstate 495 toward the Dupont Highway (U.S. 13). The airport trailblazer on the right-hand panel refers to the New Castle County Airport at Hares Corner. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Exit 1 splits between U.S. 13 north and southbound at Dupont Highway. Originally all traffic defaulted onto U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) southbound into Minquadale and Farnhurst. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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Interstate 495 prepares to split into three different ramps at the southern terminus. The left-hand lane serves Interstate 295 northbound and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. The center and right-hand lane default onto the left-hand side of Interstate 95 southbound. A fourth lane departs from the right to Interstate 95 as well. However the right-hand ramp merges onto an auxiliary lane of Interstate 95 for the U.S. 202 & Delaware 141 Exit 5 interchange. The 0.75 mile green out on the right-hand panel overlays a "Must Exit" placard. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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Traffic wishing to merge onto Interstate 95 southbound from the right instead of the left should take the Delaware 141 off-ramp. The actual departure of the Exit 5 collector/distributor roadway from Interstate 95 does not occur for another mile. Even so motorists who cannot merge to the left can continue on the c/d roadway to bypass the Interstate 295 southbound merge onto Interstate 95. A pair of ramps serve Delaware U.S. 202 south & Delaware 141 from Interstate 95. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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Interstate 495 southbound at the Exit 5 connection ramp. Within the next 1.50 miles of Interstate 95 southbound is the Interstate 495 southbound merge, the Interstate 295 southbound merge, and the Exit 5A/B ramps for the Delaware 141 freeway. It is common to find traffic delays when traversing this area during the afternoon commute. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
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Interstate 495 southbound returns to Interstate 95 southbound. To the left is the departure of the directional ramp to Interstate 295 north and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Interstate 295 crosses into New Jersey via the bridge in four miles. A six-mile drive await motorists wishing to access the New Jersey Turnpike or U.S. 40 east to Atlantic City via the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Photo taken 03/27/04. |
| Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 495 |
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12th Street eastbound ascends over the Norfolk Southern Railroad line from east Wilmington into the diamond interchange with Interstate 495 (Exit 3). Pictured here is the southbound on-ramp to Interstate 495 and associated overheads. Signs here abbreviate Philadelphia as "Phila"m the same as they do at the Delaware 9A (Exit 2) interchange. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
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The southbound on-ramp to Interstate 495 as seen from 12th Street westbound. The divided four-lane highway reduces to two overall lanes as it descends into the East Side neighborhood of Wilmington. Note the city skyline and Norfolk Southern underpass in the background. Photo taken 08/07/04. |
