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[MASTERNC]

DelDOT has started work on the widening of DE 279 EB.

There goes one shunpike for a while (although fewer vehicles on the road might offset this).

[PHLBOS]

DelDOT has started work on the widening of DE 279 EB.

There goes one shunpike for a while (although fewer vehicles on the road might offset this).

One can still use US 40.

[Tonytone]

DelDOT has started work on the widening of DE 279 EB.

There goes one shunpike for a while (although fewer vehicles on the road might offset this).

One can still use US 40.

Eww US 40. All the traffic is on there & the I-95 exit is in Northeast.


iPhone

[Alps]

DelDOT has started work on the widening of DE 279 EB.

There goes one shunpike for a while (although fewer vehicles on the road might offset this).

That's not an effective shunpike because you're paying to cross the Susquehanna anyway. Once you're up on 1 there are other ways back to 95.

[MASTERNC]

DelDOT has started work on the widening of DE 279 EB.

There goes one shunpike for a while (although fewer vehicles on the road might offset this).

That's not an effective shunpike because you're paying to cross the Susquehanna anyway. Once you're up on 1 there are other ways back to 95.

If you have the Hatem Bridge E-ZPass, you pay $20 for the entire year.  Besides, that toll pays for both directions of a 40-mile long highway (versus a 10-mile stretch in DE).

I tried to shunpike using 1 from around Havre de Grace and it took forever to get to 1.  Then you're so far west that it takes forever to get back to 95, unless you go all the way to US 322 or I-476 in PA.

[jeffandnicole]

DelDOT has started work on the widening of DE 279 EB.

There goes one shunpike for a while (although fewer vehicles on the road might offset this).

That's not an effective shunpike because you're paying to cross the Susquehanna anyway. Once you're up on 1 there are other ways back to 95.

If you have the Hatem Bridge E-ZPass, you pay $20 for the entire year.  Besides, that toll pays for both directions of a 40-mile long highway (versus a 10-mile stretch in DE).

I tried to shunpike using 1 from around Havre de Grace and it took forever to get to 1.  Then you're so far west that it takes forever to get back to 95, unless you go all the way to US 322 or I-476 in PA.

Most people aren't going to get that EZ Pass.  And ignoring that, the shunpiking is more about getting around the Delaware tolls, as there's easier options.  Going out to US 40 involves a lot of wasted time with the distance and the traffic lights.

If someone wants to save the $4 that bad at the Delaware tolls, the congestion levels on 279 probably shouldn't be all that bad; it tends to be a fairly easy road to travel normally anyway. 

There's always 896 to Old Baltimore Pike to Muddy Lane as well for another alternative route from DE to MD (and vice versa).

[Tonytone]

Map of the trolley routes in Wilmington-1945.

Imagine if we would have kept some trolley routes in the city. It would have promoted good growth & give it that city feel.




iPhone

[74/171FAN]

From DelDOT: A virtual public meeting is being held on September 22nd in regard for the proposed US 40/DE 896 Interchange.

[Tonytone]

WOAH!

Looking at the Wilmapco website project list and under #9 They are planning to rebuild the Newport Train station by 2030.

I see alot of good projects on this list, I can see many areas in New Castle becoming more urban in the future.

http://www.wilmapco.org/Rtp/2050/2050RTP.pdf

[Tonytone]

Interesting and good updates to I-95/896

https://deldot.gov/public.ejs?command=PublicProjectPortalDocument&iDID=7590687&iProjectObjectID=49427

Also Deldot just received 30.4 Million in grants from the feds

https://delawarebusinessnow.com/2020/09/deldot-gets-30-4-million-in-federal-highway-funds/

[jeffandnicole]

Interesting and good updates to I-95/896

https://deldot.gov/public.ejs?command=PublicProjectPortalDocument&iDID=7590687&iProjectObjectID=49427

Regarding the 3rd graphic - the interim plan in 2021 to provide 95 3 thru lanes at 896, and the right lane being an Exit Only lane:

I don't know if I'm too much of a fan of the right lane at 896 being a permanent Exit Only lane, for what amounts to a max 2 hour-per-weekday rush hour issue.  This seems like it'll create more of an issue for thru traffic heading towards the cash lanes of the toll plaza, and won't resolve the issue of motorists trying to cut in to the right lane at the last moment to avoid the congestion getting off at 896.

I was never for the extremely elongated EZ Pass/Cash split for the toll plaza Southbound, where they brought the split all the way back to the 896 interchange.  When it comes to the current plans, they are probably a bit limited in what they could do because of this issue.

Also noted: While they're seemingly going to modify the signage with a bunch of layovers, they're not changing the "LANES DIVIDE - X MILE" panel, which will leave this awkwardly right-justified over the 3 lanes it's referring to.


I did notice, going thru the toll plaza Northbound this week, that they narrowed NB 95 to 3 lanes after the toll plaza making the right lane an Exit Only lane for 896, leaving 95 with 3 lanes under 896.  Some of me now thinks this was a 'test' to see if it'll work for 95 South, although the conditions are vastly different.  896 North to 95 North is now a continuous lane, forming the 4th lane for 95 North.

[PHLBOS]

Interesting and good updates to I-95/896

https://deldot.gov/public.ejs?command=PublicProjectPortalDocument&iDID=7590687&iProjectObjectID=49427

Regarding the 3rd graphic - the interim plan in 2021 to provide 95 3 thru lanes at 896, and the right lane being an Exit Only lane:

I don't know if I'm too much of a fan of the right lane at 896 being a permanent Exit Only lane, for what amounts to a max 2 hour-per-weekday rush hour issue.  This seems like it'll create more of an issue for thru traffic heading towards the cash lanes of the toll plaza, and won't resolve the issue of motorists trying to cut in to the right lane at the last moment to avoid the congestion getting off at 896.

I was never for the extremely elongated EZ Pass/Cash split for the toll plaza Southbound, where they brought the split all the way back to the 896 interchange.  When it comes to the current plans, they are probably a bit limited in what they could do because of this issue.

Also noted: While they're seemingly going to modify the signage with a bunch of layovers, they're not changing the "LANES DIVIDE - X MILE" panel, which will leave this awkwardly right-justified over the 3 lanes it's referring to.


I did notice, going thru the toll plaza Northbound this week, that they narrowed NB 95 to 3 lanes after the toll plaza making the right lane an Exit Only lane for 896, leaving 95 with 3 lanes under 896.  Some of me now thinks this was a 'test' to see if it'll work for 95 South, although the conditions are vastly different.  896 North to 95 North is now a continuous lane, forming the 4th lane for 95 North.

Are there any plans for that toll plaza going AET?  Such a conversion would ultimately address/resolve most of the fore-mentioned I-95 southbound traffic issues near/at that interchange.

[Alex4897]

Interesting and good updates to I-95/896

https://deldot.gov/public.ejs?command=PublicProjectPortalDocument&iDID=7590687&iProjectObjectID=49427

Regarding the 3rd graphic - the interim plan in 2021 to provide 95 3 thru lanes at 896, and the right lane being an Exit Only lane:

I don't know if I'm too much of a fan of the right lane at 896 being a permanent Exit Only lane, for what amounts to a max 2 hour-per-weekday rush hour issue.  This seems like it'll create more of an issue for thru traffic heading towards the cash lanes of the toll plaza, and won't resolve the issue of motorists trying to cut in to the right lane at the last moment to avoid the congestion getting off at 896.

I was never for the extremely elongated EZ Pass/Cash split for the toll plaza Southbound, where they brought the split all the way back to the 896 interchange.  When it comes to the current plans, they are probably a bit limited in what they could do because of this issue.

Also noted: While they're seemingly going to modify the signage with a bunch of layovers, they're not changing the "LANES DIVIDE - X MILE" panel, which will leave this awkwardly right-justified over the 3 lanes it's referring to.


I did notice, going thru the toll plaza Northbound this week, that they narrowed NB 95 to 3 lanes after the toll plaza making the right lane an Exit Only lane for 896, leaving 95 with 3 lanes under 896.  Some of me now thinks this was a 'test' to see if it'll work for 95 South, although the conditions are vastly different.  896 North to 95 North is now a continuous lane, forming the 4th lane for 95 North.

Are there any plans for that toll plaza going AET?  Such a conversion would ultimately address/resolve most of the fore-mentioned I-95 southbound traffic issues near/at that interchange.

Given that plaza was only just rebuilt a few years ago, I'd be shocked if DelDOT elected to tear it down so soon. I could see AET conversion happening at the Delaware Memorial Bridge or along SR 1 before it's even considered on I-95.

[Tonytone]

Interesting and good updates to I-95/896

https://deldot.gov/public.ejs?command=PublicProjectPortalDocument&iDID=7590687&iProjectObjectID=49427

Regarding the 3rd graphic - the interim plan in 2021 to provide 95 3 thru lanes at 896, and the right lane being an Exit Only lane:

I don't know if I'm too much of a fan of the right lane at 896 being a permanent Exit Only lane, for what amounts to a max 2 hour-per-weekday rush hour issue.  This seems like it'll create more of an issue for thru traffic heading towards the cash lanes of the toll plaza, and won't resolve the issue of motorists trying to cut in to the right lane at the last moment to avoid the congestion getting off at 896.

I was never for the extremely elongated EZ Pass/Cash split for the toll plaza Southbound, where they brought the split all the way back to the 896 interchange.  When it comes to the current plans, they are probably a bit limited in what they could do because of this issue.

Also noted: While they're seemingly going to modify the signage with a bunch of layovers, they're not changing the "LANES DIVIDE - X MILE" panel, which will leave this awkwardly right-justified over the 3 lanes it's referring to.


I did notice, going thru the toll plaza Northbound this week, that they narrowed NB 95 to 3 lanes after the toll plaza making the right lane an Exit Only lane for 896, leaving 95 with 3 lanes under 896.  Some of me now thinks this was a 'test' to see if it'll work for 95 South, although the conditions are vastly different.  896 North to 95 North is now a continuous lane, forming the 4th lane for 95 North.

Are there any plans for that toll plaza going AET?  Such a conversion would ultimately address/resolve most of the fore-mentioned I-95 southbound traffic issues near/at that interchange.

Given that plaza was only just rebuilt a few years ago, I'd be shocked if DelDOT elected to tear it down so soon. I could see AET conversion happening at the Delaware Memorial Bridge or along SR 1 before it's even considered on I-95.

I see no backups at the toll plaza. The back ups are as jeff mentioned above..... people trying to go ahead of the traffic & cut into the 896 exit lanes.

Also this toll plaza has express lanes. Such as SR1. Del mem bridge would be the next one on the list to be updated with express lanes & such.


iPhone

[jeffandnicole]

Given that plaza was only just rebuilt a few years ago, I'd be shocked if DelDOT elected to tear it down so soon. I could see AET conversion happening at the Delaware Memorial Bridge or along SR 1 before it's even considered on I-95.

Time flies when you're having fun...that Express lane setup was completed in the summer of 2011!  So getting 9+ years out of that if they went full AET today isn't really too bad.

Compare that to the new toll plaza on the PA Turnpike just west of I-95.  That opened in 2018, and the PA Turnpike just went AET, basically abandoning the 2 year old cash lanes.

When the NJ Turnpike Interchange 1 was rebuilt in 2004, the 14 cash lanes exiting the Turnpike were needed...for maybe 5 years tops.  If it was built for today's traffic volume they could probably cut down the cash lanes to fewer than 10, and several of those would probably only be used Thanksgiving weekend.  As it stands now, I don't think the left 6 cash lanes have ever been used for anything other than slow-speed EZ Pass lanes over the past 10 years (again, other than maybe Thanksgiving weekend).

As for the Delaware Memorial Bridge, as far as I'm aware there's no real talk of them going AET, and a Express/Cash lane idea was investigated but dropped due to the DRBA Building access on the left and the DE 9 ramps on the right. 

Being they have the plaza striped in such a way where:
   The left 5 lanes (4 of which are usually EZ Pass Only lanes) merge into a single lane,
   The right 5 lanes merge into the exit lane for DE 9,
   Yet the center 3 lanes all have their own lane fully out of the toll plaza,
They'll find a way to fuck up any sort of EZ Pass conversion.

I will say they did a nice job with the widening over US 13 though.

[Alex4897]

I was doing some poking around on AASHTO's route numbering archive looking to find any interesting proposals or submissions from Delaware I hadn't heard about and ended up finding just that. Some background to set the stage:

Back in 1978, DelDOT had this nagging concern that routing the mainline interstate through downtown Wilmington was causing too much thru traffic to intermingle with local traffic, causing congestion that could be easily resolved by getting the thru traffic to use I-495 instead. On top of this, they were preparing to tear the Wilmington Viaduct on I-95 apart for a massive rebuild and were afraid of apocalyptic congestion (not unlike the current viaduct rebuild project). Their solution, as Alex has already documented on the main AAR site, was to move I-95 onto the Wilmington bypass route (I-495) and redesignate the downtown route as something else.

Their first idea, submitted to AASHTO on May 31st, 1978, was to number the downtown route I-595. AASHTO approved of the general idea, but told DelDOT to choose either I-495 or I-695 to follow loop / spur numbering rules.

Rather than follow through on this, DelDOT decided to split the downtown route into two designations, I-195 between the Christiana Marsh interchange and US 202, and I-395 between US 202 and Pennsylvania. That apparently wasn't all there was to the proposal apparently, as DelDOT's full plan was to extend I-195 up US 202 / Concord Pike to the intersection at Powder Mill Road (what was then DE 141). Applications were sent in on September 18, 1978 for I-195, I-395, and what was dubbed Temporary I-195 over Concord Pike, and all three were accepted! The Temporary designation seemed to be in place as DelDOT acknowledged it'd take them some time to bring the southern reaches of Concord Pike up to interstate standards.

Their plan would've looked something like this:


Sometime in 1979 DelDOT decided it didn't like their previous idea, so they retracted the I-195 / I-395 plan, along with any plan for an interstate designation along Concord Pike, and went with the I-895 plan that they eventually followed through on. That was reverted back to the I-95 / I-495 setup as soon as construction in Wilmington wrapped up, as evidently DelDOT's concerns of thru traffic clogging up the downtown route evaporated (or someone in Wilmington complained).


The idea to designate a portion of Concord Pike as an interstate doesn't appear to have come up anywhere since, and this is the first time I've ever seen any mention of the idea. I thought it was a pretty neat find!

[Alex]

Perusing the same AASHTO Route Numbering Archive, some things I always wondered about Delaware U.S. Highway numbering have been answered.

U.S. 202 was truncated from State Road north to Farnhurst and U.S. 301 extended between the same points. A meeting held on February 5, 1964 gives the rationale:

Whereas the studies show that the common terminal of these two U.S. Routes should be moved from State Road to Farnhurst in order to terminate each route at an interchange on a major corridor, Interstate Route 295.

"U.S. 13A Bypass" existed north from Claymont to Marcus Hook and Chester, PA. The request was approved on June 20, 1967.

The elimination of U.S. 13 By-pass Route is requested because:

It no longer serves the purpose of a by-pass route due to traffic congestion on the route created by roadside development.

In short, the by-pass route does not by-pass or provide relief, now, for traffic between Naaman's Corner and Philadelphia through Chester.

The switch of U.S. 13 Alternate to U.S. 13 along Northeast / Governor Printz Boulevard and U.S. 13 as U.S. 13 Business along Market Street and Philadelphia Pike in 1970:

The purpose of this switch in numbering is to make the routes agree with the route definition found in the 1962 Policy Manual...

Policy calls for the "shortest and best available route between major control points on the system". U.S. 13 Alternate located over Governor Printz is obviously the higher design facility, less congested, and has shorter travel time. The mixing of high speed through traffic and slow moving locally orientated traffic is highly undesirable."

The truncation of U.S. 202 in 1970 was a logical one. The formal reasoning:

It is recommended that the existing U.S. 202 at the intersection of I-95 and U.S. 202 be stopped, and the section of U.S. 202 North of I-295 and I-95 interchange be eliminated.

Since the completion of I-95 (November 1968), the U.S. 202 traffic through Wilmington is moving via I-95, this being the fastest and the best possible route connecting U.S. 202 and I-295.

Why U.S. 13 Alternate in Dover is not U.S. 13 Business was addressed in a response from AASHTO dated July 12, 1974:

we do not feel redesignation of U.S. Route 13 Alternate to U.S. Route 13 Business, in Dover, conforms with the definition of "Business Route" or is in the best interest of the public.

U.S. Route 13 Alternate does not provide the variety of services associated with a Business Route. Primarily, the route serves residential areas having scattered commercial development. We respectfully suggest that the existing U.S. Route designation in Dover is quite adequate and that no further changes are necessary at this point in time.

And finally, the reasoning behind the 1984 extension of U.S. 202 south from I-95 at Exit 8 in Wilmington and U.S. 13/40 and SR 141 at Basins Corner:

This is to provide a high capacity safe connection between U.S. 13, a major north-south route, and U.S. 202, a major route into Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Prior to I-95 opening, U.S. 202 connected to U.S. 13 across City of Wilmington Streets. The Department has received continuing requests for a re-establishment of a connection."

The application proceeds to list additional rationale points citing safety issues/high hazard location with I-295 west of the Farnhurst Interchange in effort to shift traffic from U.S. 202 to U.S. 13 from using I-295.

[jeffandnicole]

The truncation of U.S. 202 in 1970 was a logical one. The formal reasoning:

It is recommended that the existing U.S. 202 at the intersection of I-95 and U.S. 202 be stopped, and the section of U.S. 202 North of I-295 and I-95 interchange be eliminated.

Since the completion of I-95 (November 1968), the U.S. 202 traffic through Wilmington is moving via I-95, this being the fastest and the best possible route connecting U.S. 202 and I-295.

Logical but unusual, as this could apply to trounce scores of US routes. I'm not familiar with the historical routing of 202, but it doesn't appear there's a clear and smooth path between 95 and 295 to run along, which I would think has a lot more to do with the elimination of US 202.

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe when Interstate 95 was moved to Interstate 495's route temporarily in the late 1970's, with the existing 95 becoming Interstate 895, they should have left those designations intact. If I'm not mistaken, Interstate 495 is six lanes until Exit 5, while 95 has some portions that are only four lanes wide.

[jeffandnicole]

Maybe when Interstate 95 was moved to Interstate 495's route temporarily in the late 1970's, with the existing 95 becoming Interstate 895, they should have left those designations intact. If I'm not mistaken, Interstate 495 is six lanes until Exit 5, while 95 has some portions that are only four lanes wide.

I-495 is 6 lanes the entire way except for the very northern portion.

I-95 is 4 lanes except for the viaduct south of Downtown Wilmington to I-295, which is 6 lanes.

That said, the current routing is the correct routing.  2 di's connect cities, 3 di's loop around cities or spur away from the 2 di.  Otherwise, it could be argued many cities could have the 2 di loop around it rather than going thru it.

[The Ghostbuster]

Is there any way Interstate 95 in Wilmington could be expanded to six lanes through its entire length between the two 495 junctions without wreaking the entire city? How congested is the existing roadway on a day-to-day basis, and could the route use additional traffic lanes (even if such a proposal could only exist in Fictional Highways)?

[jeffandnicole]

Is there any way Interstate 95 in Wilmington could be expanded to six lanes through its entire length between the two 495 junctions without wreaking the entire city? How congested is the existing roadway on a day-to-day basis, and could the route use additional traffic lanes (even if such a proposal could only exist in Fictional Highways)?

Ironically, the.most congested part is often the section with 6 lanes.

I don't think the 4 lane section north of Wilmington is a huge issue in terms of traffic volume. Its more an issue of left lane hogs, which both DE and PA are well known for.

The area in the immediate vicinity of downtown Wilmington could use another lane each way, and there is enough room to do it.

[mrsman]

Is there any way Interstate 95 in Wilmington could be expanded to six lanes through its entire length between the two 495 junctions without wreaking the entire city? How congested is the existing roadway on a day-to-day basis, and could the route use additional traffic lanes (even if such a proposal could only exist in Fictional Highways)?

Ironically, the.most congested part is often the section with 6 lanes.

I don't think the 4 lane section north of Wilmington is a huge issue in terms of traffic volume. Its more an issue of left lane hogs, which both DE and PA are well known for.

The area in the immediate vicinity of downtown Wilmington could use another lane each way, and there is enough room to do it.

I think all of the above goes back to the point of whether or not it was a good idea to route 95 through Wilmington.  The long distance traffic mixes with the local traffic.  A lot more bypass traffic would probably take 495 if it were numbered 95.

[cpzilliacus]

I think all of the above goes back to the point of whether or not it was a good idea to route 95 through Wilmington.  The long distance traffic mixes with the local traffic.  A lot more bypass traffic would probably take 495 if it were numbered 95.

I-495 in Delaware is signed (in terms of control cities) to encourage "thru" trips to use it as a bypass of I-95. 

That, combined with drivers that know that I-495 is a better (as in faster with less interchanges) road than I-95 are probably taking it now.  I have never had issues taking either one, except during the problem in 2014 with the I-495 bridge over the Christiana River that forced a hard closure of I-495 that lasted several weeks.

[Alps]

Is there any way Interstate 95 in Wilmington could be expanded to six lanes through its entire length between the two 495 junctions without wreaking the entire city? How congested is the existing roadway on a day-to-day basis, and could the route use additional traffic lanes (even if such a proposal could only exist in Fictional Highways)?

Ironically, the.most congested part is often the section with 6 lanes.

I don't think the 4 lane section north of Wilmington is a huge issue in terms of traffic volume. Its more an issue of left lane hogs, which both DE and PA are well known for.

The area in the immediate vicinity of downtown Wilmington could use another lane each way, and there is enough room to do it.

I think all of the above goes back to the point of whether or not it was a good idea to route 95 through Wilmington.  The long distance traffic mixes with the local traffic.  A lot more bypass traffic would probably take 495 if it were numbered 95.

Based on what I've seen, traffic is pretty well balanced either way. If 95 were signed around the city, it might end up overloaded outside of rush hour relative to what's now 95.