The Delaware State Police (DSP) and Delaware Department of Transportation advised motorists to expect travel delays throughout the morning and early afternoon hours of Friday, May 5, due to the funeral services for Corporal Grade 1 Stephen J. Ballard.
Ballad was fatally shot last week while on duty.
The northbound lanes of I-95 between the Christiana Mall (Exit 4A) and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (Exit 6) will be closed beginning at 6 a.m. and will be opened after the procession of emergency vehicles to travel to the Chase Center on the Riverfront.
Also, a second closure of the northbound lanes between the Christiana Mall (Exit 4A) and the Martin Luther King Jr, Boulevard (Exit 6) will begin at 8 a.m. for the last procession of emergency vehicles to travel to the Chase Center on The Riverfront.
Northbound I-95 traffic will be impacted and will be using alternate routes of DE 896, US 40, DE 273, and US 13; motorists can expect delays on these routes with the increased diverted volume of traffic.
The funeral procession will then depart the Riverfront at about noon and travel to the Gracelawn Cemetery located at 2220 North DuPont Highway, New Castle.
The procession is scheduled to use the following route:
Justison Street – Martin Luther King Boulevard – South Market Street – North DuPont Highway – Lovelace Avenue (U-turn) to Gracelawn Memorial Cemetery.
DART will offer free shuttle service from the Route 273 and Route 7 Park & Ride to the Chase Center on the Wilmington Riverfront beginning at 7 a.m. and ending at 9 a.m. Return service to the Park & Ride from the Chase Center will begin between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
DART will also-also adjust regular bus services to avoid road closures. Delays can be expected. Commuters can also use SEPTA’s Wilmington/Newark Line from Newark and Fairplay Stations to avoid delays. Visit www.dartfirststate.com for more details.
Members of the public wishing to attend the services for Corporal Ballard are asked to use off-site parking as access to the Chase Center will be restricted.
