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Interstate 95 (I-95) is an
Interstate Highway The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
running along the
East Coast of the United States The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the region encompassing the coast, coastline where the Eastern United States meets the Atlantic Ocean; it has always pla ...
from
Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, north to the
Canadian border The borders of Canada include: * To the south and west: An international boundary with the United States, forming the Canada–United States border, longest shared border in the world, ; (Informally referred as the 49th parallel north which make ...
in
Houlton, Maine Houlton is a town in and the county seat of Aroostook County, Maine, United States, on the Canada–United States border. As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 6,055. It is perhaps best known for being at the northern terminus of Int ...
. In the state of
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
, the route runs for across the Wilmington area in northern New Castle County from the
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
state line near Newark northeast to the
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
state line in Claymont. I-95 is the only primary Interstate Highway that enters Delaware, although it also has two auxiliary routes within the state (
I-295 Interstate 295 is the designation for the following eight Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: *Interstate 295 (Delaware–Pennsylvania), a bypass of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Interstate 295 (Florida), a be ...
and
I-495 Interstate 495 (I-495) is the designation for the following five Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: * The Capital Beltway, a beltway around Washington, D.C., running through Virginia, Maryland, and a sliver ...
). Between the Maryland state line and Newport, I-95 follows the Delaware Turnpike (also known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway), a
toll road A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road for which a fee (or ''Toll (fee), toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and ...
with a mainline
toll plaza A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road for which a fee (or '' toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and maintenan ...
near the state line. Near Newport, the Interstate has a large interchange with Delaware Route 141 (DE 141) and the southern termini of I-295 and I-495. I-95 becomes the Wilmington Expressway from here to the Pennsylvania state line and heads north through Wilmington concurrently with U.S. Route 202 (US 202). Past Wilmington, I-95 continues northeast to Claymont, where I-495 rejoins the route right before the Pennsylvania state line. Plans for a road along the I-95 corridor through Wilmington to the Pennsylvania state line predate the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
. After the
Delaware Memorial Bridge The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a dual-span suspension bridge crossing the Delaware River. The toll bridges carry Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 40 and is also the link between Delaware and New Jersey. The bridge was designed by the firm o ...
was built in 1951, the Delaware Turnpike was proposed between the bridge approach near Farnhurst (present-day interchange between I-95 and I-295) and the Maryland state line near Newark in order to alleviate traffic congestion on parallel US 40. With the creation of the Interstate Highway System in 1956, both these roads were incorporated into I-95. Construction on the Delaware Turnpike began in 1957 and ended in 1963. Construction on building I-95 through Wilmington began in the early 1960s. I-95 was completed from Newport north to downtown Wilmington in 1966 and from Wilmington north to the Pennsylvania state line in 1968. Between 1978 and 1980, I-95 was temporarily rerouted along the I-495 bypass route while the South Wilmington Viaduct was reconstructed; during this time, the route through Wilmington was designated as Interstate 895 (I-895). Improvements continue to be made to the highway including widening projects and reconstruction of sections of the road and interchanges.


Route description


Delaware Turnpike

I-95 enters Delaware from
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
southwest of the city of Newark in New Castle County. From the state line, the highway heads east (north) as the Delaware Turnpike (John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway), a six-lane
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
, through wooded areas. Not far from the Maryland state line, the road crosses Muddy Run before it comes to the Newark mainline
toll plaza A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road for which a fee (or '' toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and maintenan ...
. I-95 widens to eight lanes and reaches a
partial cloverleaf interchange A partial cloverleaf interchange or parclo is a modification of a cloverleaf interchange. The design has been well received, and has since become one of the most popular freeway-to-arterial interchange designs in North America. It has also bee ...
with DE 896, which heads north to Newark and the
University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially known as UD, UDel, or Delaware) is a Statutory college#Delaware, privately governed, state-assisted Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Newark, Delaware, United States. UD offers f ...
and south to
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
. Following this interchange, the Interstate Highway crosses the
Christina River The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles (56 km) long, in northern Delaware. It also flows through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth, the river ...
and runs between industrial areas to the north and farm fields to the south, coming to bridges over
Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company was formed in 1982 with the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. The comp ...
's Delmarva Secondary railroad line and DE 72 without access. The road heads through more woodland with nearby suburban development as it curves northeast, with the median widening for the Biden Welcome Center service plaza accessible from both directions. A short distance later, I-95 reaches a modified
cloverleaf interchange A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange (road), interchange in which all turns are handled by slip roads. To go left (in right-hand traffic; reverse directions in left-driving regions), vehicles first continue as one road passe ...
with DE 273 west of Christiana. The freeway continues northeast and comes to a modified cloverleaf interchange with the DE 1/ DE 7 freeway to the northwest of the Christiana Mall; this interchange serves as the northern terminus of DE 1. This interchange has flyover ramps from southbound I-95 to southbound DE 1/DE 7 and from northbound DE 1/DE 7 to northbound I-95; the northbound ramp splits onto both sides of the northbound lanes of I-95. The interchange with DE 1/DE 7 also has access to the Christiana Mall via ramps connecting to Mall Road. Past this interchange, I-95 widens to 10 lanes and passes under DE 58, with a ramp from southbound I-95 to DE 58 that provides the missing connection between southbound I-95 and northbound DE 7. The highway continues through woods before heading through Churchman's Marsh, where it crosses the Christina River. After this bridge, I-95 has a northbound ramp to Airport Road that serves to provide access to southbound US 202/ DE 141. At this point, the lanes of the Interstate split further apart, and the northbound ramp for
I-295 Interstate 295 is the designation for the following eight Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: *Interstate 295 (Delaware–Pennsylvania), a bypass of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Interstate 295 (Florida), a be ...
and northbound DE 141 exits off to parallel the northbound lanes of I-95. The ramp to northbound I-295 has two lanes while northbound I-95 carries four lanes. After this, I-95 crosses US 202/DE 141 at an interchange, at which point US 202 becomes concurrent with I-95. Upon crossing US 202/DE 141, the ramp to northbound DE 141 from the northbound I-295 ramp splits off while the ramp from US 202/DE 141 to northbound I-95 merges in from the left. Southbound, a collector–distributor road serves to provide access between I-95 and US 202/DE 141. Not far after encountering US 202/DE 141, I-295 splits off to the southeast, with the northbound entrance from I-295, the southbound exit to I-295, and the southbound entrance from I-295 on the left side of the road. At this point, the Delaware Turnpike comes to its northern terminus. After I-295, I-95/US 202 turns north and comes to a northbound exit and southbound entrance with the southern terminus of
I-495 Interstate 495 (I-495) is the designation for the following five Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: * The Capital Beltway, a beltway around Washington, D.C., running through Virginia, Maryland, and a sliver ...
, which bypasses the city of Wilmington to the east.


Wilmington Expressway

Following the I-495 interchange, the median narrows and I-95/US 202 heads northeast through marshland as the six-lane Wilmington Expressway, crossing the Christina River. The freeway comes to bridges over Norfolk Southern Railway's Shellpot Secondary railroad line and Little Mill Creek as it continues through more wetlands west of the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge, with
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
's
Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston in the north to Washington, D.C., in the south, with major stops in Providence, Rhod ...
railroad line running parallel a short distance to the northwest. The road enters Wilmington and curves to the north, passing to the west of
Daniel S. Frawley Stadium Daniel S. Frawley Stadium is a stadium in Wilmington, Delaware. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Wilmington Blue Rocks minor league baseball team. The park was originally known as Legends Stadium when it was built ...
, which is home of the
Wilmington Blue Rocks The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Wilmington, Delaware, and play their home games at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium. Fra ...
baseball team, and the Chase Center on the Riverfront convention center as it heads west of the Wilmington Riverfront. I-95/US 202 heads toward downtown Wilmington and crosses onto a viaduct, passing over Norfolk Southern Railway's Wilmington & Northern Running Track and the Northeast Corridor before coming to an interchange with DE 4 and DE 48 that provides access to the downtown area and the Wilmington Riverfront. At this point, the four-lane freeway continues northeast, with one-way northbound North Adams Street to the east and one-way southbound North Jackson Street to the west serving as
frontage road A frontage road (also known as an access road, outer road, service road, feeder road, or parallel road) is a local road running parallel to a higher-speed, limited-access road. Where parallel high-speed roads are provided as part of a maj ...
s. I-95/US 202 continues through residential areas to the west of downtown Wilmington and passes over DE 9, with a southbound exit. Farther northeast, the freeway heads into an alignment below street level and comes to an interchange with DE 52. Past this interchange, the road heads to the north and crosses Brandywine Creek, heading through
Brandywine Park Brandywine Park was the first city park established by the city of Wilmington, Delaware. It is located on the banks of Brandywine Creek, between Augustine Road and North Market Street. The park was established in 1886, and was designed by Samue ...
, which is a part of the
Wilmington State Parks Wilmington State Parks is a public recreation area located in Wilmington, Delaware, United States. Open year-round, the park covers of land mostly situated along the Brandywine Creek. The state park is made up of a group of smaller parks that ...
complex. The freeway curves northeast again and passes under
CSX Transportation CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of track, it is the lead ...
's
Philadelphia Subdivision The Philadelphia Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. The line runs from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, southwest to Baltimore, Maryland, along a forme ...
railroad line before reaching a modified cloverleaf interchange with the northern terminus of DE 202 at the northern edge of Wilmington, at which point US 202 splits from I-95 to head north along Concord Pike. Past US 202, I-95 leaves Wilmington for the suburban Brandywine Hundred area and continues northeast as a four-lane road, passing southeast of the Rock Manor Golf Club and running along the northwest side of the CSX Transportation line. The freeway heads across Matson Run before it curves east to pass over the railroad tracks. The roadway continues through wooded areas to the south of the CSX Transportation tracks, crossing Shellpot Creek and coming to a
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade separation, grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. ...
with DE 3 northwest of the town of Bellefonte. After this exit, I-95 and the rail line curve to the northeast and continue through woodland with nearby residential areas, passing northwest of Bellevue State Park and crossing Stoney Creek. The highway crosses Perkins Run before it reaches a northbound exit and southbound entrance with Harvey Road southeast of the villages of Arden, Ardentown, and Ardencroft. Past this interchange, the freeway curves east away from the CSX Transportation tracks and winds northeast near suburban neighborhoods in Claymont. In Claymont, the Interstate comes to a diamond interchange with DE 92, at which point I-495 also merges onto the northbound direction of the interstate via a southbound exit and northbound entrance. The southbound exit to DE 92 is via the I-495 interchange while all other ramps of the DE 92 interchange connect directly to I-95. Following the interchange, I-95 passes to the west of the former Tri-State Mall before it crosses the state line into
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
. The southbound exit from I-95 to I-495 is located in Pennsylvania, before the Delaware state line.
Delaware County
(PDF)
I-95 in Delaware has an
annual average daily traffic Annual average daily traffic (AADT) is a measure used primarily in transportation planning, transportation engineering and retail location selection. Traditionally, it is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a year divided ...
count ranging from a high of 205,868 vehicles at the I-295 interchange near Newport to a low of 56,903 vehicles at the DE 92 interchange in Claymont. As part of the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
, the entire length of I-95 in Delaware is a part of the National Highway System, a network of roadways important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.


Tolls

I-95 has a mainline
toll plaza A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road for which a fee (or '' toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and maintenan ...
along the Delaware Turnpike near the Maryland state line in Newark. Cash or
E-ZPass E-ZPass Interagency Group (E-ZPass Group trade name and E-ZPass product brand) is an electronic toll collection system used on toll roads, toll bridges, and toll tunnels in the eastern half of the United States. The group itself is composed of ...
is accepted for payment of tolls. The plaza is staffed by toll collectors and also features high-speed E-ZPass lanes. The toll for passenger vehicles costs $4.00 both northbound and southbound. When the highway first opened in 1963, the toll at the toll plaza near the state line was $0.30 (equivalent to $ in ). Prior to 1976, ramp tolls were collected at the DE 896, DE 273, and DE 7 interchanges. The ramp tolls required exact change, and many motorists were caught by police evading the tolls because they did not have the proper change. In 1970, an attempt was made to use the
honor system An honor system, trust system or honesty system is a way of running a variety of endeavors based on trust, honor, and honesty. The honor system is also a system granting freedom from customary surveillance (as to students or prisoners) with ...
for motorists without the proper change at the tollbooth to pay the tolls by mailing them. However, it was discontinued after a month because most motorists did not mail in their tolls. In 1976, Governor Sherman W. Tribbitt signed House Bill 1278, which was sponsored by Representative Gerard A. Cain. This bill called for the elimination of the three ramp tolls while keeping the mainline toll plaza near the Maryland state line. The ramp tolls stopped being collected on October 1, 1976. In 1981, plans were announced to demolish the former toll booths at the DE 273 and DE 7 interchanges; however, the DE 896 interchange toll booths were to remain to collect tolls from trucks. The mainline toll plaza was planned to be closed on July 1, 1981, after the bonds to construct the road were paid off, but was kept by "Operation Overhaul", a $93-million (equivalent to $ in ) project by Governor
Pete du Pont Pierre Samuel "Pete" du Pont IV (January 22, 1935 – May 8, 2021) was an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 68th governor of Delaware from 1977 to 1985. A member of the Republican Party, he was the United State ...
that would use the tolls collected at the toll plaza to fund improvements to the turnpike along with other roads in the state of Delaware. In the middle of 2011, reconstruction of the Delaware Turnpike toll plaza was completed in a $32.6-million (equivalent to $ in ) project funded by the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (), nicknamed the Recovery Act, was a Stimulus (economics), stimulus package enacted by the 111th U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in February 2009. Developed ...
, adding high-speed E-ZPass lanes. On March 17, 2020, cash tolls were suspended at the mainline toll plaza along I-95 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, with all tolls collected electronically through the high-speed E-ZPass lanes and motorists without E-ZPass billed by mail; cash tolls resumed on May 21, 2020.


Services

The Biden Welcome Center (formerly Delaware Welcome Center and also referred to as Delaware House) service plaza is located in the median of I-95 between the DE 896 and DE 273 interchanges east of Newark, with access from both directions of the highway. The service plaza offers a
Sunoco Sunoco LP is an American master limited partnership organized under Delaware General Corporation Law, Delaware state law and headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Dating back to 1886, the company has transformed from a vertically integrated energy ...
gas station, electric vehicle charging stations, a
convenience store A convenience store, convenience shop, bakkal, bodega, corner store, corner shop, superette or mini-mart is a small retail store that stocks a range of everyday items such as convenience food, groceries, beverages, tobacco products, lotter ...
, multiple
fast-food restaurant A fast-food restaurant, also known as a quick-service restaurant (QSR) within the industry, is a specific type of restaurant that serves fast food, fast-food cuisine and has minimal Foodservice#Table service, table service. The food served ...
s, a
visitor center A visitor center or centre (see American and British English spelling differences), visitor information center or tourist information centre is a physical location that provides information to tourists. Types A visitor center may be a Civic c ...
, and retail options including a store called Postcards from Delaware that sells Delaware-related merchandise. There is also a
Tesla Supercharger The Tesla Supercharger network is an electric vehicle fast charging network built and operated by American vehicle manufacturer Tesla, Inc. The Supercharger network was introduced on September 24, 2012, as the Tesla Tesla Model S, Model S en ...
station at the Biden Welcome Center. The Biden Welcome Center is run by
Applegreen Applegreen Limited is an Irish company founded in 1992 that operates 620 petrol stations in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain (under the Welcome Break arm) and the United States. It is a major petrol retailer in Ireland, ...
. When the Delaware Turnpike opened in 1963, a Hot Shoppes restaurant and an
Esso Esso () is a trading name for ExxonMobil. Originally, the name was primarily used by its predecessor Standard Oil of New Jersey after the breakup of the original Standard Oil company in 1911. The company adopted the name "Esso" (from the phon ...
service station were located along the road in the median. In 1964, a proposal was made to build a
truck stop A truck stop (known as a service station in the United Kingdom, a travel center by major chains in the United States and a roadhouse in rural Australia) is a commercial facility which provides refueling, rest (parking), and often ready-made f ...
and
motel A motel, also known as a motor hotel, motor inn or motor lodge, is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the Parking lot, parking area for motor vehicles rather than through a central Lobby (room), lo ...
next to the existing facilities. The truck stop proposal was off and on for several years until a truck stop was built just across the state line in Maryland in 1975. In 1983, Hot Shoppes was replaced by
Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), nicknamed the King of the Cowboys, was an American singer, actor, television host, and Rodeo, rodeo performer. Following early work under his given name, first as a c ...
and
Bob's Big Boy Bob's Big Boy is a casual dining restaurant chain founded by Bob Wian in Southern California in 1936, originally named Bob's Pantry. The chain's signature product is the Big Boy Restaurants#The Big Boy hamburger, Big Boy hamburger, which Wian c ...
in order to offer both sit-down dining and fast food. This was the largest Roy Rogers and Bob's Big Boy location at the time and restaurant namesake
Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), nicknamed the King of the Cowboys, was an American singer, actor, television host, and Rodeo, rodeo performer. Following early work under his given name, first as a c ...
and Lieutenant Governor
Mike Castle Michael Newbold Castle (born July 2, 1939) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 69th governor of Delaware from 1985 to 1992 and as the U.S. representative from from 1993 to 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. Th ...
were in attendance for the opening. In September 2009, the Delaware Welcome Center was closed for a reconstruction project that built a new service plaza building, new gas pumps, new truck parking, and an improved visitor center. The renovated service plaza opened in June 2010 at a cost of $35 million (equivalent to $ in ). On September 17, 2018, the service plaza was renamed the Biden Welcome Center in honor of the
Biden family The family of Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States, includes members prominent in law, education, activism and politics. Biden's immediate family was the first family of the United States from 2021 to 2025 during Biden's presi ...
, a Delaware political family that includes US Senator, 47th Vice President, and subsequently 46th President,
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
. A renaming ceremony was held, with Governor John Carney and members of the Biden family (including Joe Biden) in attendance. At the ceremony, Governor Carney signed a bill formally renaming the service plaza.


History


Planning and construction

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 while Route B bypassed the city to the east along the current alignment of I-495. Plans for building Route A were made in 1950 but were deferred a year later due to opposition. Following the completion of the Delaware Memorial Bridge connecting to the
New Jersey Turnpike The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although ma ...
in 1951, through traffic coming from the bridge led to significant congestion on US 13 and US 40. As a result of this, suggestions were made in 1954 for a limited-access road to be constructed leading to the bridge that would alleviate congestion on US 40. In 1956, the Interstate Highway System was created, with two routes proposed along the current alignment of I-95. FAI-1 was proposed to run from the Maryland state line east to an interchange west of Farnhurst while FAI-2 was proposed between this interchange and the Pennsylvania state line through the western part of Wilmington. The corridor following FAI-1 and FAI-2 would become designated as part of I-95, an Interstate Highway running along the East Coast of the US. FAI-1 was originally planned as a free Interstate Highway using federal funds; however, the road would not have been completed until 1967 under this plan. As a result, the state of Delaware financed the road with bond issues and would build it as a toll road called the Delaware Turnpike. The first construction contracts for the Delaware Turnpike were awarded in 1957, with construction soon following that year. Construction began on building a new bridge over US 13/US 40 at the Farnhurst interchange in 1958 that would connect the Delaware Turnpike to the I-295/US 40 approach to the Delaware Memorial Bridge. The same year, plans were made for several bridges along I-95. In 1959, work began on rebuilding the Farnhurst interchange to
Interstate Highway standards Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the publication ''A Policy on Design Standards: Interstate System''. For a certain highway t ...
. The same year, recommendations were made for the design and right-of-way acquisition along the planned route of I-95 as well as the construction of several contracts between the Maryland state line and Farnhurst along the Delaware Turnpike, including the interchange with DE 41/DE 141 and between I-95, I-295, and I-495 near the Christina River. The proposed routing for I-95 through Wilmington would take it through the central core between Adams and Jackson streets. Locals tried to fight routing I-95 through the central core and instead suggested routing it along Bancroft Parkway to the west or the present-day route of I-495 to the east. However, the lame-duck Republican-controlled city council approved routing I-95 along Adams and Jackson streets in 1957. The demolition of homes began in January 1959. A year later, construction began on overpasses and ramps at the Farnhurst interchange. The same year, suggestions were made to build I-95 across the Christina Marsh as well as construct the bridges over the Christina River and the
Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad ( reporting mark PRR), legal name as the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, also known as the "Pennsy," was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At its ...
in Wilmington. A contract was awarded for the Christina River interchange in 1961. By 1961, all construction contracts along the Delaware Turnpike had been completed except for the DE 41/DE 141 interchange and the Christina River interchange. In 1962, the I-95 bridges over the Christina River, the Pennsylvania Railroad, and Little Mill Creek were finished while plans were made for the South Wilmington Viaduct that would cross over several railroad tracks belonging to the Pennsylvania,
Baltimore and Ohio The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the oldest railroad in the United States and the first steam-operated common carrier. Construction of the line began in 1828, and it operated as B&O from 1830 until 1987, when it was merged into the Chessi ...
, and
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...
railroads. The same year, the roadway was built between the Christina River interchange and the South Wilmington Viaduct. The new northbound lanes of DE 41/DE 141 through the I-95 interchange opened in November 1962. The southbound lanes of DE 41/DE 141 opened in June 1964, enabling directional flow of DE 41/DE 141 through the interchange. In September 1963, construction work on the turnpike was halted by picketing workers. The Delaware Turnpike, along with the connecting Northeast Expressway in Maryland, was dedicated by President
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
, Delaware Governor Elbert N. Carvel, and Maryland Governor J. Millard Tawes in a ceremony at the state line on November 14, 1963, in which a ribbon-cutting took place and a replica
Mason–Dixon line The Mason–Dixon line, sometimes referred to as Mason and Dixon's Line, is a demarcation line separating four U.S. states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and West Virginia. It was Surveying, surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason ...
crownstone was unveiled. The Delaware Turnpike was opened to traffic at midnight on November 15, 1963. The first motorist to pay a toll on the turnpike was Omero C. Catan, also known as "Mr. First", of
Teaneck, New Jersey Teaneck () is a Township (New Jersey), township in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a bedroom community in the New York metropolitan area. The town is know for their pancake throwing contest held ...
, who marked this occasion as the 517th first moment he achieved. The completion of the Delaware Turnpike allowed motorists to travel from
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
to
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
without having to stop at a traffic light. Construction of the Delaware Turnpike cost $30 million (equivalent to $ in ). Following the opening of the turnpike, traffic levels on US 40 and US 301 fell by 40 to 50 percent. The rerouting of traffic to the Delaware Turnpike led to the reduction in profits for businesses along US 13 and US 40, with several businesses forced to close. Meanwhile, the Delaware Turnpike saw more traffic volume than originally projected. Eight days after dedicating the toll road, President Kennedy was
assassinated Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...
in
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
. As a result, both the Delaware Turnpike and the Northeast Expressway were renamed the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway in his honor in December 1963. On the one-year anniversary of the dedication of the Delaware Turnpike on November 14, 1964, a memorial service and wreath laying in honor of Kennedy was held at the state line, with Governor Carvel in attendance. The remainder of I-95 between the Christina River interchange and the Pennsylvania state line was built as a non-tolled freeway. In April 1964, construction contracts were awarded for bridges at the Christina River interchange that would carry I-95 and I-495 traffic over I-295. In mid-1964, construction on the South Wilmington Viaduct began. In June of that year, the substructure of the I-95 bridge over the Brandywine Creek was completed. In August 1964, construction began on the I-95 interchange with Naamans Road and the northern terminus of I-495 in Claymont. In 1965, construction was underway to build the below-surface alignment of I-95 between Fourth Street and the Brandywine Creek in Wilmington. The construction of I-95 through Wilmington resulted in the demolition of 360 to 370 homes in the West Side neighborhood between Adams and Jackson streets. The construction of the highway led to the decline of the residential and commercial base in Wilmington. Work was also underway on the portion of I-95 northeast of Wilmington, which would parallel the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. In 1966, I-95 was completed and opened to traffic between the Christina River interchange with I-295 and I-495 and downtown Wilmington, where ramps connected the highway to Maryland and Lancaster avenues. The completion of this section of I-95 provided an uninterrupted freeway connection between Wilmington and
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
. The ramps to downtown Wilmington were added as a compromise of building the freeway through the city and would bring economic development to the Wilmington Riverfront. In August 1968, I-95 between the South Wilmington Viaduct and US 202 was completed and opened to traffic. On November 1, 1968, the freeway was opened between US 202 and the Pennsylvania state line. With this, the entire length of I-95 in Delaware was constructed, making Delaware the third state to complete its section of I-95.


Improvements

In November 1968, work began to widen the Delaware Turnpike from four to six lanes to handle increasing traffic volumes. The widening project was completed in December 1969, one year ahead of schedule. In 1969, a plan was made to widen the turnpike between DE 896 and DE 273 to 10 lanes and between DE 273 and DE 141 to 12 lanes in a 3–3–3–3 local–express lane configuration. This was later scaled down to a proposal to widen the road to eight lanes total. The widening of the Delaware Turnpike to eight lanes occurred in the 1980s. From 1971 to 1978, a north–south extension of the Delaware Turnpike running south to
Dover Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...
was studied. This extension of the turnpike evolved into a "Relief Route" for US 13 and was built as DE 1 between 1987 and 2003. On June 28, 1978, the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway A highway is any public or private road ...
(AASHTO) approved rerouting I-95 along the I-495 alignment. However, AASHTO disapproved renumbering the alignment of I-95 through Wilmington as I-595. 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. I-895 was designated along the conditionally approved route of I-195 and I-395 on June 25, 1979. In 1980, the South Wilmington Viaduct was reconstructed. On November 14, 1980, I-95 and I-495 were returned to their original alignments, with I-895 decommissioned. US 202 was designated concurrent with I-95 through Wilmington in 1984. In 2000, I-95 was completely rebuilt between US 202/DE 202 and the Pennsylvania state line. The reconstruction completely tore apart the concrete pavement and replaced it with asphalt and also improved drainage and rebuilt bridges. In April 2000, the southbound lanes were closed, with the lanes between DE 3 and US 202/DE 202 reopening in May and the remainder reopening soon after. In July, the northbound lanes were closed, with the lanes reopening between US 202/DE 202 and DE 3 in September and the remainder reopening in October. During the closure, through traffic was detoured to I-495. In 2003, construction began on a new bridge carrying DE 58 over I-95 to replace the previous bridge, which was over 40 years old and experienced deterioration. Construction of the new bridge, which cost $17 million (equivalent to $ in ), was originally planned to be finished in late 2005 but completion was delayed to late 2006. The new bridge carrying DE 58 over I-95 was built to accommodate future widening of I-95. In May 2007, construction began to widen I-95 between the DE 1/DE 7 and US 202/DE 141 interchanges from eight to ten lanes due to rising traffic levels and increased development. The widening project was completed in November 2008. Traffic congestion at the cloverleaf interchange with DE 1/DE 7 in Christiana led to the
Delaware Department of Transportation The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is an agency of the U.S. state of Delaware. The Secretary of Transportation is Shanté Hastings. The agency was established in 1917 and has its headquarters in Dover, Delaware, Dover. The depar ...
(DelDOT) to improve the interchange. The project included adding flyover connecting ramps from northbound DE 1 to northbound I-95 and from southbound I-95 to southbound DE 1 which allowed for easier merging patterns and the elimination of lengthy backups on the former ramp design. Construction of a new "ring access road" around Christiana Mall began in February 2011 and was completed in March 2012, with a newly built bridge over DE 1, just south of the I-95 interchange. The ramp from southbound I-95 to southbound DE 1/DE 7 opened on August 27, 2013, and the ramp from northbound DE 1/DE 7 to northbound I-95 opened on October 17, 2013, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Governor
Jack Markell Jack Alan Markell (born November 26, 1960) is an American politician and diplomat. He had served the United States ambassador both to Italy and to San Marino. He had served as the United States ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-oper ...
and DelDOT Secretary Shailen Bhatt. In December 2011, a project began to improve the interchange between I-95 and US 202/DE 202 in order to reduce congestion. The project widened the ramp between northbound I-95 and northbound US 202 to two lanes, the ramp between southbound US 202 and southbound I-95 was extended to modern standards, and the ramp between southbound I-95 and southbound DE 202 was relocated from a cloverleaf loop to a directional ramp that intersects DE 202 at a signalized intersection. In addition, the interchange ramps were repaved and bridges were rehabilitated. The project was finished in July 2015, months behind schedule due to the closure of I-495 in 2014. On August 7, 2015, a dedication ceremony to mark the completion of the project was held, with Governor Markell, Senator
Tom Carper Thomas Richard Carper (born January 23, 1947) is an American politician and former military officer who served from 2001 to 2025 as a United States Senate, United States senator from Delaware. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), D ...
, and DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan in attendance. The project, which cost over $33 million (equivalent to $ in ), was 80-percent funded by the federal government. On June 2, 2014, the I-495 bridge over the Christina River was closed after it was discovered that four support columns were tilting. During this closure, traffic from I-495 was detoured onto I-95, and several major roads in the Wilmington area experienced increased traffic congestion. The southbound lanes of I-495 reopened on July 31, a month earlier than expected, and the northbound lanes of I-495 reopened on August 23. In 2016, a project began to improve the interchange with DE 141. The project reconstructed the bridges that carry DE 141 over I-95 and added safety improvements to the interchange ramps. In June 2016, the ramp from northbound I-95 to northbound DE 141 closed until June 2017 to allow for reconstruction of the bridge along northbound DE 141. Construction on improving the interchange along with the adjacent section of DE 141 was completed in December 2021. DelDOT completely rebuilt I-95 from the southern end of I-495 to the Brandywine Creek bridge in Wilmington in a $200-million project beginning in February 2021. Several overpasses were repaired and new guardrails were installed. The southbound entrance ramp from South Jackson Street was demolished and the entrance from 2nd Street was rebuilt. At times during construction, the highway was reduced to two lanes of traffic. Construction was finished in November 2022, months ahead of schedule. On April 6, 2023, a ceremony marking the completion of the project was held, with Governor Carney, Senators Carper and
Chris Coons Christopher Andrew Coons (born September 9, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Delaware, a seat he has held since 2010. A member ...
, Representative
Lisa Blunt Rochester Lisa LaTrelle Blunt Rochester (née Blunt; born February 10, 1962) is an American politician serving since 2025 as the junior United States senator from Delaware. From 2017 to 2025, she served as the U.S. representative for . A member of the ...
, Wilmington Mayor
Mike Purzycki Michael S. Purzycki (born 1945) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 56th mayor of Wilmington, Delaware, from 2017 to 2025. He previously served as the executive director of the Riverfront Development Corporation and bri ...
, and DelDOT Secretary Nicole Majeski in attendance. On March 15, 2021, a construction project began that will improve the DE 273 interchange by realigning ramps and widening DE 273 through the interchange. Construction on this interchange improvement is planned to be completed in 2023. There are plans to reconstruct the interchange with DE 896 by adding two flyovers and realigning ramps in order to improve safety and congestion at the interchange. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 1, 2023, with Governor Carney, Senator Carper, Representative Blunt Rochester, and DelDOT Secretary Majeski in attendance. The reconstruction project, which is projected to cost $143 million, began on May 7, 2023, and is planned to be completed in 2026. The project received a $57-million grant from the
US Department of Transportation The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the president of the United States a ...
which allowed construction to begin earlier than originally planned. In March 2021, a group of state lawmakers led by Representative Sherry Dorsey Walker pushed for US Secretary of Transportation
Pete Buttigieg Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg ( ; born January 19, 1982) is an American politician and former naval officer who served as the 19th United States Secretary of Transportation, United States secretary of transportation from 2021 to 2025. A me ...
, and, by proxy, President Joe Biden, to endorse a plan to add a
freeway lid A freeway lid (also known as a freeway cap, highway cap or highway deck) is a Deck (bridge), deck bridge built on top of a controlled-access highway or other roadway. It is commonly used to create new parkland in urban areas, but can also suppor ...
on top of I-95 through Wilmington and construct an urban park on top of the highway, reuniting neighborhoods that were divided when the highway was constructed. In April 2021, Wilmington city council unanimously approved backing the plan for constructing an urban park over I-95 through the city.


Exit list


Auxiliary routes

I-95 has two auxiliary routes that are located within the state of Delaware.
I-295 Interstate 295 is the designation for the following eight Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: *Interstate 295 (Delaware–Pennsylvania), a bypass of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Interstate 295 (Florida), a be ...
runs from I-95 near Newport east (north) to the
Delaware Memorial Bridge The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a dual-span suspension bridge crossing the Delaware River. The toll bridges carry Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 40 and is also the link between Delaware and New Jersey. The bridge was designed by the firm o ...
, where it crosses the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...
into
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. Once in New Jersey, I-295 intersects the southern terminus of the
New Jersey Turnpike The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although ma ...
and continues northeast a bypass route of
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
parallel to the New Jersey Turnpike. I-295 loops to the north of Trenton, and enters
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
, heading south (west) and reaching its terminus at
I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
in Bristol Township.
I-495 Interstate 495 (I-495) is the designation for the following five Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: * The Capital Beltway, a beltway around Washington, D.C., running through Virginia, Maryland, and a sliver ...
is a bypass of Wilmington to the east. I-495 heads north from I-95 south of Wilmington near Newport, passing the Port of Wilmington and running along the Delaware River, before merging back in with I-95 just before the Pennsylvania state line in Claymont.


See also

*


References


External links


I-95 at AARoads.com

I-95 Widening

Delaware Roads - I-95

The Roads of Metro Philadelphia: Delaware Turnpike (I-95)

The Roads of Metro Philadelphia: Wilmington Expressway (I-95)
{{3di, 95 95 Delaware Transportation in New Castle County, Delaware Toll roads in Delaware Monuments and memorials to John F. Kennedy in the United States