Anyone planning to drive through Wilmington on I-95 south this weekend will need to find a different route starting Friday morning, the Delaware Department of Transportation said.
As part of the ongoing “Restore the Corridor” project, the highway will be closed between the U.S. Route 202 and the Second Street on-ramp from 9 a.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Drivers coming from Pennsylvania should use I-495 south to bypass Wilmington. All local traffic will be directed to exit I-95 onto U.S. Route 202, and then to take Delaware Route 141 south back onto I-95. Delays and heavier traffic are expected around all detours.
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By closing part of the highway, construction workers can pave and strip the road, install lighting and build guardrails more safely and quickly. And while it may inconvenience drivers, Department of Transportation spokesperson C.R. McLeod said the road closure represents the “final stretch of major work.”
Construction on I-95 in Wilmington, which has been ongoing since early 2021, is slated to wrap up by the end of this year, which is earlier than expected.
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“The end is within sight,” McLeod said.
A similar closure of I-95 north is slated for the last weekend of October.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on Twitter at @h_edelman.