Interstate 495 Delaware

Interstate 495 Delaware
Newport, DE ↔ Claymont, DE•11.47 miles

Overview

Map of Wilmington, Delaware

Named the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, Interstate 495 forms an eastern bypass of Wilmington. The six lane freeway also serves freight traffic to the Port of Wilmington and industrial areas at Cherry Island and the 11th Street Bridge community in Wilmington and Edgemoor. I-495 also serves commuter interests from I-95 into south Wilmington and between 12th Street and Claymont. Implemented in 2004, variable speed limits are used along the route.

Interstate 495 traverses wetland areas along the Christina River through industrial areas of Southbridge in Wilmington near the Port. Spanning the Christina on a high-level bridge, the freeway continues to Edgemoor. North from there, I-495 runs along side the Delaware River, U.S. 13 (Governor Printz Boulevard), the AMTRAK Northeast Corridor and a Norfolk Southern Railroad line to Claymont.

Mileage by State

Delaware11.47 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2025 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

History

Wilmington, DE - 1970
Work on Interstate 495 started in 1968.5 U.S. 202 was truncated from Farnhurst to north Wilmington in 1970 while U.S. 13 was redesignated along what was U.S. 13 Alternate.

Opened to traffic in 1978, Interstate 495 was renumbered as the mainline for I-95 in 1979 while the former route through Wilmington was changed to I-895. This designation switch coincided with major reconstruction along the Wilmington Viaduct and Adams-Jackson Freeway sections of I-95. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved the renumbering of I-495 to I-95 on June 26, 1979 and the renumbering back to I-495 on November 14, 1980.

Premature cracking, due to incompatible types of cement and stone used in the mid 1970s, was discovered in the concrete surface of Interstate 495. This resulted in a federally subsidized $15.5 million repair contract awarded to Cherry Hill Construction Co. Work began in early April 1992 along a 6.4 mile long stretch of northbound lanes between the Edgemoor interchange and I-95 at the Pennsylvania state line. Contractor delays, ranging from equipment problems, bad weather and other issues, arose and pushed back the shift of work to the southbound lanes from July 1992 to October 10, 1992, while a single lane of traffic operated in each direction. Work was to wrap up by early November 1992, but instead continued through 1993, with all three southbound lanes reopened May 22, 1993. A $5,000 per day penalty was accessed to the contractor beyond the original completion date.1,2,3

Subsequent resurfacing work along Interstate 495 followed along the remainder of the freeway leading south to I-95 near Newport. That work ran through 1994 to July 1995.4

The Wilmington bypass originally included four interchanges. They were located at U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway), SR 9A (Terminal Avenue), 12th Street and U.S. 13 (Philadelphia Pike). The Edgemoor interchange was planned in 1985 and completed by 1989. The new ramps linked I-495 with U.S. 13 (Governor Printz Boulevard) and SR 3 (Edgemoor Road) in an industrial area along the Delaware River.

The diamond interchange with 12th Street provides access to Downtown Wilmington from Interstate 495. Plans for the 12th Street extension in the 1970s included options for a multi lane arterial or expressway to a new bridge across Brandywine Creek at 14th and Poplar Streets. Community opposition resulted in a March 1982 revision of the proposed route, moving it further north to 16th Street. Ensuing events however ultimately led to the cancellation of the 12th Street Connector.5

Interstate 95 between U.S. 202 (Concord Pike) and I-495 at Claymont underwent major reconstruction in 2000. Opened to traffic in 1968, the original concrete deteriorated throughout the 1990s, leading to the six-month project. While underway, one direction of I-95 was shut down for a three month period so that crews could rubblelize the existing concrete and overlay it with a new type of asphalt material. Through traffic was diverted onto I-495. As a result, Interstate 495 improvements included expansion of the northern and southern interchange lanes available to and from I-95 and new access from I-495 south to U.S. 13 north and from U.S. 13 south to I-495 north at Exit 1. This work was completed in June 2000. Signs at the south end of I-495 were also replaced and reassurance shields were installed all along Interstate 495. The was significant because very few markers were posted for I-495 along the mainline prior to 2000.

Preceding the I-95 reconstruction, a late 1999 proposal advocated renumbering I-495 as Interstate 95. The plan outlined renumbering I-95 through Wilmington as either Business Loop I-95 or Interstate 195. It never came to fruition due to objections from Wilmington city leaders on losing I-95.

The 4,800 foot long bridge over the Christina River was completed in 1974. It closed on June 2, 2014, following inspections revealing that four support columns tilted by as much as 2.4 degrees from vertical. A succeeding emergency repair project stabilized the bridge supports and leveled a 400 foot portion of the deck. Both directions of the span reopened by August 23, 2014, with the $40 million project continuing through the end of the year.6

North End Interstate 95 ‐ Claymont, DE

Interstate 495 North at Interstate 95

I-495 north at US 13 - Claymont, DE

Interstate 495 curves away from the adjacent Delaware River and the AMTRAK Northeast Corridor and approaches both U.S. 13 (Philadelphia Pike) and Interstate 95 at Claymont. 12/23/17

I-495 north at US 13 - Claymont, DE I-495 north at US 13 - Claymont, DE I-495 north at I-95/SR 92 - Claymont, DE

Interstate 95 South at Interstate 495

I-95 heads two miles south from Upper Chichester Twp, PA to I-495 in Delaware.

The first reference for Interstate 495 along I-95 south appears on this interchange sequence sign posted two miles out at a pedestrian overpass near Trainer. This sign was damaged by 2009. 12/20/22

I-95 heads two miles south from Upper Chichester Twp, PA to I-495 in Delaware. I-95 south one mile from I-495 and the Delaware state line. I-95/495 split south of PA 491 and Naamans Creek. I-95 south at I-495 - Lower Chichester Twp, PA I-95 south at I-495 - Lower Chichester Twp, PA I-95 continues south into Wilmington, DE while I-495 bypasses the city to the east.

North End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

Interstate 495 North at Interstate 95

I-495 north at US 13 - 2008

Pull through signs for Interstate 495 north ahead of U.S. 13 (Philadelphia Pike) referenced I-95. Cantilevered sign bridges for Exit 5 were replaced with monotubes in 2017. 12/22/08

I-495 north at US 13 - 2008 I-495 north at US 13 - 2008 I-495 north at US 13 - 2008

South End Interstate 95 Interstate 295 ‐ Newport, DE

Interstate 495 South at Interstate 95 Interstate 295

I-495 south ahead of US 13 and Minquadale, DE.

Interstate 495 turns west from Southbridge in Wilmington toward U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) by Minquadale and I-95 and I-295 ahead of Newport. 12/26/24

I-495 south ahead of US 13 and Minquadale, DE. I-495 advances southwest to I-95/295 near Newport, DE. I-495 south at the flyover for SR 141 to Newport, DE. I-495 south at I-95/Delaware Tpk south to Newark.

Interstate 95 North at Interstate 295 Interstate 495

I-95 north at I-295/495 - Churchmans Crossing, DE

The first in a series of sign bridges for I-295/495 appears along Interstate 95 north at the SR 58 (Churchmans Road) overpass. I-95 (Delaware Turnpike) maintains eight overall lanes from the Newark Toll Plaza eastward to SR 1/7 (Exit 4) and ten lanes across Christina Marsh to the split with I-295. 12/22/20

I-95 north at I-295/495 - Churchmans Crossing, DE I-95 north at I-295/495 - Newport, DE I-95 north at I-295/495 - Newport, DE I-95 north between I-295 and I-495 near Newport, DE. I-95 north at I-495 - Newport, DE I-95/495 north split to Wilmington, Delaware.

Interstate 295 South at Interstate 95 Interstate 495

I-295 south at I-495/95 - Newport, DE

Interstate 295 leaves the Farnhurst Interchange with U.S. 13/40 and approaches the exchange with I-495 north, I-95 and SR 141. The interchange with U.S. 13 (DuPont Highway) opened in 1951; the freeway west to I-95 opened in 1963. 12/23/18

I-295 south at I-495/95 - Newport, DE I-295 south at I-495/95 - Newport, DE

South End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

Interstate 495 South at Interstate 95 Interstate 295

I-495 south at I-95/295 - 2005

Interstate 495 turns west from Southbridge in Wilmington toward U.S. 13 (Dupont Highway) by Minquadale. This sign bridge was replaced by a monotube assembly in 2017. A new overhead here was the first to reference the ramp for I-295 as Exit 0. 08/18/05

I-495 south at I-95/295 - 2005 I-495 south at I-95/295 - 2005 I-495 south at I-95/295 - 2005 I-495 south at I-95/295 - 2004

References

  1. "I-495 repairs might continue through spring." The News Journal, September 25, 1992.
  2. "Contractor facing penalties." The News Journal, February 17, 1993.
  3. "Expect further delay on I-495 and woes down the road on I-95." The News Journal, May 23, 1993.
  4. "Nightmares of the Week - Fast times on I-495." The News Journal, October 23, 1994.
  5. "Upper East Side residents fight I-495 connector." The Wilmington News Journal, April 14, 1982.
  6. "All I-495 lanes open." The News Journal (DE), August 25, 2014.
Updated January 7, 2026