Delaware officials expect toll plaza troubles
The Delaware Department of Transportation has joined the Maryland Transportation Authority in warning Thanksgiving holiday travelers about potentially long backups at the Interstate 95 toll plaza in Newark.
Lanes have been reduced this year because of a construction projected intended to eventually ease the persistent congestion, which frequently turns the Delaware Turnpike's steep $4 toll into a time-wasting ripoff. As you can read below, the Delaware Department of Transportation expects the project to be complete next summer, making traffic flow better than ever. We'll see.
Below you'll find the full Delaware DOT release:
Major Thanksgiving Week Traffic Delays Expected
at I-95 Toll Plaza in Delaware
Reconstruction Project Underway to Modernize PlazaNewark – The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) warns motorists to expect major traffic delays throughout the Thanksgiving Holiday Week at the I-95 Newark Toll Plaza. The predicted impacts are expected to be greater than in recent years and could stretch for miles and take hours to clear.
Newark – The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) warns motorists to expect major traffic delays throughout the Thanksgiving Holiday Week at the I-95 Newark Toll Plaza. The predicted impacts are expected to be greater than in recent years and could stretch for miles and take hours to clear.
Due to the on-going I-95 Newark Toll Plaza Reconstruction, reduced toll lane access and altered traffic patterns will greatly impact Thanksgiving Holiday travelers. These factors, combined with the anticipated increase of holiday traffic, will result in serious backups and travel delays, starting as early as Tuesday morning, November 23 and lasting through Monday evening, November 29. Travelers should consider using alternative routes, using alternative modes of travel or traveling during hours with lower traffic volumes.
DelDOT’s Traffic Management Center (TMC) will be monitoring the Plaza area closely to assist any stranded motorists and to help expedite the clearing of any accidents that may occur. Motorists travelling through the area can get updates by following Twitter @DelawareDOT, or by tuning to WTMC 1380AM radio.
Those at home can check delays by viewing www.deldot.gov/traffic/map.ejs.
Available northbound and southbound toll lanes have been reduced as part of the construction. This reduction impacts both the manual cash lanes as well as the dedicated E-ZPass lanes. Additionally, due to the construction, the three open northbound E-ZPass lanes merge into a single lane just beyond the toll plaza
creating a reduction in available lane space.
The I-95 Newark Toll Plaza Reconstruction Project will include significant improvements to the 47 year-old 47 year-old site, with an expected completion of summer 2011. The changes will result in much better plaza operations
when two non-stop, highway-speed E-ZPass lanes plus seven manual cash-lanes will be open in each direction.
This $32 million modernization project is fully funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and was awarded to A-Del Construction Company of Newark, Delaware. Some of the additional improvements include:
• Widening of the approach lanes for the northbound plaza to create more vehicle storage space
• Installation of new roadway signing and pavement markings
• Upgrades to the plaza lighting systems
• Reduction of fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by reducing congestion
• Improvement of mobility for interstate truck traffic
• Improving safety of traveling public by reducing queues and need for lane changes
• Toll worker safety is addressed by creating an overhead passageway, new crash attenuators, and a dedicated equipment maintenance gantry
For more information, visit DelDOT’s project Web page (i95.deldot.gov), or tune to WTMC-AM 1380.
Comments
Wow.. just simply wow.. Does the government has no vision about the future of traffic in the area in regards to when it is appropriate to close a road during a holiday.
Honestly, if traffic is going to be that tied up they need to just open up the gates and give everyone a green light. In fact, I think a law should be past that any toll road that has a backup of more than 5 - 10 minutes should be required by law to open the gates for 30 minutes and let traffic move. If the government is so concerned about "global warming" and "carbon emissions" how does it make since for the government not to just open up the gates and let drivers pass. Otherwise they are stuck idling their car and increasing carbon emissions.
Posted by: Phillip | November 19, 2010 11:43 AM
Good to know they are on top of the situation. On an average weekend the delays stretch miles and take hours to clear...
I was really expecting the wrath of Dresser on this one. Looks like Delaware is getting off easy this year.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 19, 2010 5:30 PM