The Delaware Department of Transportation recently broke ground on the more than $280 million I-95/Route 896 interchange improvement project.
The construction project will reconfigure the existing 60-year-old interchange ramps, widen and rehabilitate existing bridges, widen I-95 northbound and southbound, and construct new bridges, retaining walls, sign structures, and lighting.
A path spanning the interchange will be built to provide a connection for bicycle and foot traffic from Newark to Glasgow.
A groundbreaking event held on Monday was attended by state Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski, Gov. John Carney, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and state and local officials from Newark.
“There have been more than 700 crashes at this interchange since 2019 due to congestion and the current configuration,” Majeski said. “This project is necessary in order to greatly reduce these incidents that cause serious injuries or worse. We appreciate the input we received throughout the planning process from residents and the business community to develop a project that accomplishes our goal of minimizing crashes and keeping traffic moving.”
The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided 50 percent of the funding.
Route 896 connects Newark to the University of Delaware.