Delaware’s next big highway project begins

The process of widening Route 1 between the Roth Bridge and I-95 begins Monday.

Earlier this summer, DelDOT celebrated the completion of construction work to overhaul the I-95/Rt. 202 interchange north of Wilmington. That was the final piece of more than a decade of projects designed to improve the flow of traffic through Delaware on I-95.

The next big project will expand lanes on Rt. 1 from the interchange with I-95 next to the Christiana Mall to the Roth Bridge, which spans the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. That lane expansion project is designed to handle the increased traffic flow expected along that part of Rt. 1 by 2040.

The first part of that lengthy project starts today. It’s called the Rt. 1 Northbound Auxiliary Lane project.  A long name for adding an extra lane intended to reduce delays drivers currently experience getting on and off of Rt. 1 at the Rt. 40 interchange. 

As the project gets underway this week, DelDOT says there will be periodic lane closures on Rt. 1 northbound both day and night. This initial phase of work is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

The bigger project of adding lanes to the highway from the canal to north of Rt. 273 is currently in development and going through the environmental assessment process.