DE announces major delays on I-95 interchange

[Missytara]

We're coming southbound on Wednesday, and unfortunately we cannot leave early in the day. I estimate we hit the Delaware area around 7pm.

I'd like to work my way around this - any experts in this area who can give me an alternate? Our normal route is I-295 in NJ to the Delaware Memorial Bridge to I-95. I'm willing to alter as needed to get around it...

One alternative is continue all the way through DE down Rt. 1 and go through MD to VA to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. You avoid lots of traffic around DC/MD/DE area.

The other route is to take the detour as posted through the work zone - I cannot remember exactly where it takes you, but I believe it is roads that may only be one or two lanes - and with people getting out of work and going home, these areas will also be very conjested.

 

[Missytara]

DelDOT just made a press release that they are already starting to see spotty delays in this area.

Good luck everyone - it's only Tuesday....

 

[honeymo78]

As long as it's cleared up by next wed night when we leave for Disney...

Actually my mom keeps asking if we can leave earlier. She said she would rather sit in traffic on the way to Disney than sit at home waiting until it's time to leave.

 

[Missytara]

As long as it's cleared up by next wed night when we leave for Disney...

Actually my mom keeps asking if we can leave earlier. She said she would rather sit in traffic on the way to Disney than sit at home waiting until it's time to leave.

They expect it to be clearing up by Sunday night.

 

[msmayor]

One alternative is continue all the way through DE down Rt. 1 and go through MD to VA to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. You avoid lots of traffic around DC/MD/DE area.

The other route is to take the detour as posted through the work zone - I cannot remember exactly where it takes you, but I believe it is roads that may only be one or two lanes - and with people getting out of work and going home, these areas will also be very conjested.

Certainly an option...one I'd probably have to flip a coin on. Drove the Bay Bridge Tunnel once and was totally freaked out.

Sit in traffic vs. scary bridge. Tough call.

 

[disneyfan55]

Question on exactly which area on 95 it is. Is it where the NJ Turnpike goes into DE for the short ride or from actual 95 in PA into DE. Thanks.

 

[disneyfan55]

Question on exactly which area on 95 it is. Is it where the NJ Turnpike goes into DE for the short ride or from actual 95 in PA into DE. Thanks.

 

[seashoreCM]

Wednesday around 1 PM and around 5 PM. Smartraveler.com shows no significant delays on I-95 in this area (MD/DE border).

But paralleling U.S. 40 is very congested.

 

[seashoreCM]

Did some random checks using Smartraveler through the Thanksgiving period and no noticeable problems on I-95 at the MD/DE border ...

Until now.

1 PM Sunday. Northbound I-95 very slow for several miles. Suggest getting off 3 stops earlier (Rte 272) then go over to Rte 40 (flowing quite well) and continue north to Rte 896 and then back over t0 I-95.

3:30 PM Sunday. Northbound shows only a short stretch of slowdown near the toll booth. Soutbound now has a lengthy backup before the MD/DE border.

6:30 PM Sunday. Northbound shows only a short stretch of slowdown on the DE side (near the toll plaza). Southbound is clear. Long congested section on Rte 40 northbound bypassing the toll plaza. Long congested section of DE1 southbound only (mall traffic?) between I-95 and Rte. 40.

9:30 PM Sunday. Everything looks free and clear.

 

[msmayor]

We drove up from Maryland yesterday and exited I-95 at exit 93, about 7 miles south of 272, to join route 40...the overhead signs were warning of a backup at the toll and we wanted to avoid it.

We'd never taken route 40 before but won't hesitate to take it again. We didn't even bother re-joining I-95 - we took 40 right to the Delaware Memorial Bridge to get back to Jersey. Completely avoided the messy split where I-95 goes to the left toward Wilmington and the remaining traffic goes right to the bridge.

 

[seashoreCM]

Dec. 3. Heard on the news that they stopped collecting tolls after 3 PM Sunday after Thanksgiving in an effort to speed up traffic. The news quoted about $80,000 of foregone revenue. Not sure whether this was just non-enforced by the toll collectors by telling motorists one at a time to just drive on, but leaving the EZpass in operation doing electronic toll collection.

A fiendish idea, Accepting tolls but to speed things up, making change only with what the motorist handed over, handing back too much change if the correct change could not be made. For example a six dollar toll paid with two fives, the collector returns one of the fives. If the motorist handed a twenty, the collector hands back the entire twenty.