Del. I-495 emergency closure

[cpzilliacus]

New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southeastern, Southwestern, Midwestern, Plains, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Coast states.  And yes, Mid-Atlantic states were: NY, NJ, PA, MD, and DE.  (VA and WV were part of the Southeastern states.

Maryland needs to be in the same place as D.C. and Virginia.  Otherwise I am indifferent.

[jeffandnicole]

New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southeastern, Southwestern, Midwestern, Plains, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Coast states.  And yes, Mid-Atlantic states were: NY, NJ, PA, MD, and DE.  (VA and WV were part of the Southeastern states.

Maryland needs to be in the same place as D.C. and Virginia.  Otherwise I am indifferent.

2 Mid-Atlantic states touching Canada?  Eh.....

The definitions of various regions can vary, based on the person, organization, company, and how one looks at a map.  Heck, in my state of NJ, most people don't agree on the artificial border of North Jersey vs. South Jersey.  But most people here within the state would agree we are in the Northeast I would think.

[Zeffy]

The definitions of various regions can vary, based on the person, organization, company, and how one looks at a map.  Heck, in my state of NJ, most people don't agree on the artificial border of North Jersey vs. South Jersey.  But most people here within the state would agree we are in the Northeast I would think.

I'd say anything south of Delaware is "mid-Atlantic", while everything to the north (and east) is the Northeast.

[Alex]

Delaware reopens I-495 northbound lanes

Delaware transportation officials have reopened the northbound lanes of I-495 east of Wilmington, finishing temporary repairs early to the last section of the stricken bridge over the Christina River.

Traffic began flowing about 3:15 p.m. The southbound lanes were reopened July 31.

Department of Transportation officials opted for an unceremonious reopening of the northbound highway lanes between 12th Street and Terminal Avenue in mid-afternoon — more than a week ahead of schedule.

[Alex4897]

What has become of that lane modification on I-95 south before I-495 merges in on the left now that everything has reopened?

[jeffandnicole]

What has become of that lane modification on I-95 south before I-495 merges in on the left now that everything has reopened?

It's still in its modified state: 1 lane merges with 95.

[jeffandnicole]

I don't know how to put a direct link in here for a Facebook page, so go onto Facebook, type 'delawareonline' into the search bar, go to the pics and scroll to the 5th or so over with the single car on the bridge...which is the 495 reopening. Then view the comments, and take notice to the several that say they need to add a guardrail. Then look at the pic again.

If my guess is right, these citizens believe that the 3 or 4 foot high abutment wall is actually some sort of curbing or pavement that stops just before the shoulder line, and they believe cars could just drive directly off the bridge!!

[Roadrunner75]

I don't know how to put a direct link in here for a Facebook page, so go onto Facebook, type 'delawareonline' into the search bar, go to the pics and scroll to the 5th or so over with the single car on the bridge...which is the 495 reopening. Then view the comments, and take notice to the several that say they need to add a guardrail. Then look at the pic again.

If my guess is right, these citizens believe that the 3 or 4 foot high abutment wall is actually some sort of curbing or pavement that stops just before the shoulder line, and they believe cars could just drive directly off the bridge!!

Where's the guardrail?

[Alps]

If my guess is right, these citizens believe that the 3 or 4 foot high abutment wall is actually some sort of curbing or pavement that stops just before the shoulder line, and they believe cars could just drive directly off the bridge!!

From that angle, it sure looks like it! Great photography. Not.

[cpzilliacus]

Apparently Google Street View imaged the public road (Delaware 9A. Christiana Avenue) that runs under the I-495 span over the Christiana River just south of the damaged section while the repair work was under way.  GSV here.

And a different (more minor) kind of mishap not so far away (south of the bridge repair site) here.

[Roadsguy]

As of September, 495 SB was still narrowed to one lane at the 95 merge. Was this intended to be permanent? 495 should probably be two lanes at least through the merge.

[Alex4897]

They left the current lane configuration as is because it improved operations at the merge, which isn't surprising given the amount of traffic that'd be using I-95 to leave Wilmington during the PM rush.  They are apparently considering implementing variable lane control so they can swap back and forth if need be.

http://www.deldot.gov/home/newsroom/release.shtml?id=5328

[NJRoadfan]

Wasn't the whole point of the original merge configuration to discourage through traffic from using I-95 and to force them onto I-495? Guess it didn't work out as well as planned.

[jeffandnicole]

The configuration was left in place for many years.  But I think in the meantime, they also reconfigured the 141 ramps, which left I-95 with only one actual thru lane. 

They're probably OK for now (2 lanes coming from Wilmington, 1 from 495), especially considering the amount of traffic that empties out of Wilmington during rush hour. 

What they'll have to look at in the future is when the 95 connections are made with the PA Turnpike, and Southbound traffic on the NJ Turnpike will encounter the I-95 signage at Interchange 6 when it's permanently signs (unlike now, when the greenout plates keep falling off the signage).  That will potentially induce more traffic thru Philly into Delaware, which will add additional traffic to the 95/495 merge. 

Personally, they should add an additional left lane at the 95/495 merge so there's 2 thru lanes for 95, and 2 lanes coming off of 495.  That furthest left lane should then taper down before the 95/295 merge.  (Why do I think that was the original configuration when 495 first opened??) 

[Alps]

As of September, 495 SB was still narrowed to one lane at the 95 merge. Was this intended to be permanent? 495 should probably be two lanes at least through the merge.

I haven't run into any issues with the one-lane configuration. It's something that is relatively easy to fix in the future if they need a change.

[Alex4897]

Wasn't the whole point of the original merge configuration to discourage through traffic from using I-95 and to force them onto I-495? Guess it didn't work out as well as planned.

Given how far downstream it is from where local and through traffic would be separating, I'm not so sure that's what their intentions were.  If they were to do something with lane configurations to try and force more people onto 495, they'd probably do it at the north split as opposed to the south merge.

[02 Park Ave]

When traveling from NJ to MD, I use the COMO Barry Bridge rather than the Delaware Memorial Bridges.  I stay with the I-95 through Wilmington because it is shorter than using the I-495.  But then again, I never travel there during the rush hours.

[jeffandnicole]

When traveling from NJ to MD, I use the COMO Barry Bridge rather than the Delaware Memorial Bridges.  I stay with the I-95 through Wilmington because it is shorter than using the I-495.  But then again, I never travel there during the rush hours.

Why would you do that? It's $1 more to cross that bridge, dealing with more traffic and slower speed limits. 

[02 Park Ave]

I've found there to be a greater chance of hitting heavy traffic on the Delaware Memorial bridges than on the COMO Barry Bridge.  I didn't know there was now a difference in the toll rates between the bridges.  And, I make the trip during off-peak hours so going through Wilmington isn't a problem.

[PHLBOS]

I didn't know there was now a difference in the toll rates between the bridges.

There's been a toll rate difference for years between those two bridges (due to both bridges being run by different agencies).  The only thing that's recently changed is the extent of the toll difference (courtesy of the DRPA).

[ekt8750]

Wasn't the whole point of the original merge configuration to discourage through traffic from using I-95 and to force them onto I-495? Guess it didn't work out as well as planned.

Swapping the route numbers would solve that problem.

[jeffandnicole]

In general, 2 di's go thru cities.  3 di's go around cities.  Almost every city in the country deals with this.

[ekt8750]

True but 495 seems to be better equipped to handle through mainline traffic than 95 is. Hell anyone coming from the south to NY is encouraged to take the Del Mem Br ( ) and 295/NJTP up instead of staying on 95.

[02 Park Ave]

I seem to recall that the route numbers were swapped and then reswapped some time in the past.

[ekt8750]

I seem to recall that the route numbers were swapped and then reswapped some time in the past.

It was proposed but Wilmington bitched about losing the status of 95 going through their city.