Delaware

[jeffandnicole]

Part of Newark's Elkton Road now called South Main Street



Was told about the renaming of Elkton Road to South Main Street by one of my best friends and a lifelong Newark native. He said that the renaming was more motivated to dissociate Newark with Elkton. After an airport run to PHL on Christmas Day, we rode through the new "South Main Street".



Approaching the split of DE 2 Business/273 and 896 at the end of Newark business district. South Main Street begins to the left over what was Elkton Road.

While we are in this area, it's interesting to note the 'Railroad Crossing' signs.  They are for a crossing that see a lot of train vs. vehicle crashes.  The crossing is gated and there's no reason why vehicles should be entering the path of the train, but they seem to do so much more frequently here than at other crossings.  The nearby Wonderland Records store even keeps a camera watching the intersection, and they have posted video of some very interesting accidents.

[Alex]

Updates on two major interchange projects in Delaware over the holidays:



Northbound Delaware 1 and 7 shifted from the summer onto a new alignment. To go along with this, a new sign bridge style (for DE at least) was posted at the off-ramp to Interstate 95 north. Still lots of work to be done on the flyovers.



Heading southbound through the I-95/DE 1 interchange project, traffic from DE 7 remains on the original alignment and approaches the new flyover that will shuttle I-95 south to DE 1 south traffic.



Blasting is a regular thing at the I-95/US 202 interchange. You can see the change to the hillside in the background. The loop ramp that was Exit 8A on I-95 southbound (to DE 202 south) is gone now, and the footprint for the realigned Exit 8 is readily visible from above. A portion of the new two-lane directional ramp from I-95 north to US 202 north is in place, but the old ramp is in the way...

[akotchi]

Why the space next to the I-95 North in the first photo?  Seems like the I-295 and I-495 shields could have gone in that space.  The shields also look small compared to the text on those panels.

[MASTERNC]

Northbound Delaware 1 and 7 shifted from the summer onto a new alignment. To go along with this, a new sign bridge style (for DE at least) was posted at the off-ramp to Interstate 95 north. Still lots of work to be done on the flyovers.

According to DelDOT, they will be placing the beams over I-95 in February.  There will be multiple 12-hour closures of I-95.

http://www.deldot.gov/home/newsroom/release.shtml?id=4605

[jeffandnicole]

DelDOT must be in some sort of contest for ugliest BGS's. 

Why the extra space between 'Exit' and the exit #?
Why is 95 North/95 South off-centered on both signs?
Why is 'Wilmington' slightly off-centered, compared to 'Philadelphia'?
Why is there a small supplement sign on the post of this gantry for 295/495, right at the exit, rather than on the overhead sign as they were historically placed?

About the only thing I like is the size of the font used for the control cities.

According to DelDOT, they will be placing the beams over I-95 in February.  There will be multiple 12-hour closures of I-95.

http://www.deldot.gov/home/newsroom/release.shtml?id=4605

This is something else I don't understand.  Most highways are able to accomplish this with momentary (15 +/- minute) stoppages to install a beam, which is done overnight.  DelDOT closed I-95 near US 202 all night on several occasions to install the beams, and are doing the same here.

By comparison, the NJ Turnpike is building new overpasses on a 25 mile stretch of highway, and never once needed to close the turnpike to accomplish this.  In most cases, they used police cars to pace traffic approaching the overpass construction, with the goal of moving at a slow speed but not needing to come to a complete stop.

[1995hoo]

Why the space next to the I-95 North in the first photo?  Seems like the I-295 and I-495 shields could have gone in that space.  The shields also look small compared to the text on those panels.

That gantry is ugly as well.

[roadman65]

You know seeing the metric exit numbers on DE 1 makes me think about the old NJ joke that most people make about its small size.  The "What exit number?" question many ask of a New Jersian to ridicule them of being small in size.

I know this was done for an experiment that failed, but if someone pulls that particular joke on a Delawarian, they could easily foil the jokester with that three digit number.

Also, I shocked someone once when they asked me "What exit number?" years ago.  Of course, I lived in Clark, so that is off Exit 135 of the Parkway (GSP).  One person did not believe me and said to me "That exit numbers do not go that high."  Oh , yes they do and up to 171 as we all know.  I will bet he looked it up afterward.

[Alps]

One person did not believe me and said to me "That exit numbers do not go that high."  Oh , yes they do and up to 171 as we all know.

172. Thanks for playing. Good night.

[BrianP]

One person did not believe me and said to me "That exit numbers do not go that high."  Oh , yes they do and up to 171 as we all know.

172. Thanks for playing. Good night.

Hey what about exit 354?

[jeffandnicole]

One person did not believe me and said to me "That exit numbers do not go that high."  Oh , yes they do and up to 171 as we all know.

172. Thanks for playing. Good night.

Hey what about exit 354?

Does not belong, and the DRPA's explanation to me (that they were just contining the exit numbering sequence) didn't make sense either!

[Alps]

One person did not believe me and said to me "That exit numbers do not go that high."  Oh , yes they do and up to 171 as we all know.

172. Thanks for playing. Good night.

Hey what about exit 354?

I counter that with, what about Exit J?

[exit10]

So Main Street in Newark now has a three-way intersection with itself? This seems ... ill-advised. I hope my alma mater can explain this to incoming students ...

[PurdueBill]

did this sign get zapped, then?

I lived right near those signs once (could see them out a window for a year even) and will miss them--especially the one with the little circular shields with interior outlines.  Sigh.

Updates on two major interchange projects in Delaware over the holidays:

Delaware used to have really good-looking BGSs imo......what has happened to them?!?!?!  Why is TO 295/495 not on the main panel?  Why do the 95 shields (and directions) seem so small?  Why does there seem to be extra space between the shields and the control cities?  Why so much space between EXIT and 165?  Yuck!

[Alex]

The proposal upgrades the diamond interchange at DE 1 & 273 to a six-ramp partial-cloverleaf interchange with loops on the west side. It also severs Delaware 7 northward into Christiana. If this comes to pass, DelDOT should truncate DE 7 to DE 273 and extend DE 1 to the Pennsylvania state line over DE 7 north of Interstate 95. Poor Christiana, its been cut off couple of times already by commercial sprawl and this would leave it with just an east-west through route.

Del. 1 proposal worries residents of Christiana

A project at the interchange of Del. 1 and Del. 273 would permanently close East Main Street north of the Christiana Park & Ride lot, state officials say.

The closure would make way for a new loop ramp to and from southbound Del. 1 at Del. 273. The DART bus hub and commuter parking lot would be moved to the Christiana Mall, project manager Darren O'Neill said.

Although construction is years away, DelDOT plans a public workshop next month to discuss the full project — to add a lane to Del. 1 in each direction from the Del. 273 interchange to the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, including the Roth Bridge.

[ChezeHed81]

This week, I-95 NB Exit 4B reopened at SR-1.


Perhaps, in the sign shop, the elements seemed big enough, but out here, the shields are small (perhaps 24") and while the legend appears to be 16" 5WR, compared to the signs installed during recent I-95 projects in Delaware, even the 16" legend appears undersized.  They are made up of larger flat panels (i.e. Florida- or Virginia-style) instead of the typical extruded sectional construction.  Perhaps somebody knows if these signs were laid out this way because of the existing gantry restrictions.  Given only one gore point on I-95, it seems unnecessary to retain the A/B suffixes.

With so many reasons to dislike these signs, there are two positive aspects:  (1) Gone is the "beaches" pictograph.  I always thought it belonged on an auxiliary guide sign anyway. (2) Dover is a more appropriate control point here than at SR-273 (Exit 3).

Everything about these feels too small.  One can only hope that these are temporary. 

To the left is the new Exit 4B ramp which replaced a cloverleaf loop.  These signs are made of the same construction as on SR-1 northbound.  It's odd that on the ramp, the features are larger than on mainline I-95 considering this is a major interchange.  Another oddity is the hump just ahead which then drops just as quickly on the other side as it veers right to merge onto SR-1 SB.
_______________________

**Follow-up Edit:  The ribbed backs for the first three signs are visible from I-95 southbound, so the original signs are still under there.  Why replace when you can refinish for less?  Still hoping these are temporary. 

[cpzilliacus]

Does anyone know what became of "Metroform," which used to be a "control city" for either Del. 1 or Del. 4 on I-95?

[Alex]

Does anyone know what became of "Metroform," which used to be a "control city" for either Del. 1 or Del. 4 on I-95?

It was the named coined for the development planned at DE 4 and 7 that never really went anywhere. The name was unpopular and so they took in public feedback and Churchman's Crossing was the most popular. Even still, there is nothing that really exists that is Churchman's Crossing. Stanton is still there and standard development along DE 58 has taken place in the form of shopping centers rather than the master planned concept that Metroform entailed.



Regarding the new signs pictured in the previous post, those have to be temporary in nature, because the sign bridges are still the originals (or at least the ones from the mid-80s) and DelDOT always uses that Maryland-style overhead with the corrugated panels with the sharp corners. Still though I was shocked to see that Exit 4 now departs in unison from I-95 north!

[jeffandnicole]

Does anyone know what became of "Metroform," which used to be a "control city" for either Del. 1 or Del. 4 on I-95?

It was the named coined for the development planned at DE 4 and 7 that never really went anywhere. The name was unpopular and so they took in public feedback and Churchman's Crossing was the most popular. Even still, there is nothing that really exists that is Churchman's Crossing. Stanton is still there and standard development along DE 58 has taken place in the form of shopping centers rather than the master planned concept that Metroform entailed.



Regarding the new signs pictured in the previous post, those have to be temporary in nature, because the sign bridges are still the originals (or at least the ones from the mid-80s) and DelDOT always uses that Maryland-style overhead with the corrugated panels with the sharp corners. Still though I was shocked to see that Exit 4 now departs in unison from I-95 north!

I'll try to post the photo I took last night soon, but the shields are quite small!  The 95 North to 1/7 North ramp though is a nice, smooth ramp, even as you drive right next to the wall for the ramps from 95 South to 1 South.

[elsmere241]

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130325/NEWS15/130325004/DelDOT-plans-workshops-Del-1-widening

The state Department of Trans­portation will hold two public work­shops next month about planned wid­ening of Del. 1 in New Castle County.

The first is 5-8 p.m. April 8 in the Leasure Elementary School cafeteria, 1015 Church St. in Bear. The second is 6-9 p.m. April 18 at the Kathleen H. Wilbur Elementary School multipurpose room, 3942 Wrangle Hill Road in Bear.

Officials are working on plans to widen the highway between Del. 273 and the Roth Bridge over the Chesa­peake & Delaware Canal to relieve congestion, improve safety in high-crash areas and ensure emergency and evacu­ation access along the corridor.

[froggie]

improve safety in high-crash areas

More effective (and less costly) than widening the road for this would be installing a median barrier.  I'm also doubtful that it needs the extra lanes, especially south of US 13.  Even during rush hour, it's not that bad.  And widening is only going to further complicate the problem where everyone "shunpikes" off DE 1 at the south end of the bridge.

What they could do is continue the second lane on SB 1 where it merges with 13, extending it as an auxiliary lane to the off-ramp at 72.  I think that's the best way to alleviate what congestion exists outside of Christiana.

[jeffandnicole]

improve safety in high-crash areas

More effective (and less costly) than widening the road for this would be installing a median barrier.  I'm also doubtful that it needs the extra lanes, especially south of US 13.  Even during rush hour, it's not that bad.  And widening is only going to further complicate the problem where everyone "shunpikes" off DE 1 at the south end of the bridge.

What they could do is continue the second lane on SB 1 where it merges with 13, extending it as an auxiliary lane to the off-ramp at 72.  I think that's the best way to alleviate what congestion exists outside of Christiana.

The area between 95 and 1/13 is extremely busy, especially at rush hour, and definitely warrants widening.  Additionally, the construction of the flyover ramps from 95 to 1 will allow a lot more traffic to access Rt. 1 at one time, so future congestion is a definite issue.

The 3 lanes on 1/13 and over the Roth bridge probably is sufficent for a while, and if I were to guess, would be a second phase to the construction project.  The bridge simply needs re-striping, although making it 4 lanes will wipe out the shoulders.

A top priority should be to reconfigure the merge from Rt. 1 to 1/13 to provide for 2 lanes onto 1/13, then taper it down as motorist have a chance to merge over.  Actually, when they first built the highway, this was the lane pattern and for whatever reason, they reduced the ramp from 2 lanes to 1 mid-ramp.  Another possibility is to maintain the 2 lanes from 1 to 1/13, and the left lane from Rt. 13 will be the lane that ends.

[elsmere241]

This should be no surprise to anyone familiar enough with Delaware: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130331/NEWS02/303310068/Influence-access-taint-land-use-decisions

I can't comment much more because I work for New Castle County (formerly in Land Use - we in GIS got moved to Information Systems a few years ago).

[jeffandnicole]

Going back to the small route shields at the new 95/1 interchange...

It appears new signs, with new, larger shields, have been installed on 95 North at the Exit for DE 1/7, and on the ramp itself.  The shields are now larger. Not the largest I've seen, but larger than the shields that were there.  It's possible as well that the shields were just replaced, rather than the entire sign being replaced.

However...further back on 95, the signs for Exit 4, 1 mile ahead still have the small shields on them for DE 1 & 7.  So maybe they haven't gotten around to replacing them yet.  I'll have to keep an eye on that over the next few weeks to see if they are replaced as well.

[elsmere241]

There are still small shields here and there, along with some small numerals (and with fractions that's really annoying).

What bugs me more are the gantries along I-95 north between DE 1/7 and DE 141 that show the right-most lane as "exit-only" for I-295.  It's not, you have to use that lane to get to Exit 5B for DE 141 north.  (That and all the offramps that have no signage for what's where, or which way the numbered highway goes, or both.)

[jeffandnicole]

What bugs me more are the gantries along I-95 north between DE 1/7 and DE 141 that show the right-most lane as "exit-only" for I-295.  It's not, you have to use that lane to get to Exit 5B for DE 141 north.

That's fine.  There's enough signs for the 141 Exit that I don't think people get confused.  The 'Exit Only' language is needed for the split though.