The Route 141 bridge over Basin Road has been repaired.
The work was ordered after structural problems were found on the bridge that provides a key link between I-95 and the New Castle area.
The project complicated the lives of commuters who were already contending with a long-running project in the Route 141 and Interstate 95 area. Scheduled as a deck replacement, the 45-day project ended up taking nearly six months after the numerous issues surfaced.
Charles “C.R.” McLeod, director of Community Relations for DelDOT released the following statement:
“We are very happy to announce that the Route 141 Basin Road Bridge over Route 13 has reopened to traffic this afternoon. This project has been a major inconvenience for area residents and businesses. Specifically, DelDOT offers its apologies to Airbase Carpet Mart and Arner’s Restaurant for the disruption this closure has caused to their businesses. This project has been frustrating for all stakeholders, and while the bridge has reopened, it is important to note that additional work will continue into the spring and temporary lane closures will be necessary at times in order to complete the remaining work.”
The closing also isolated businesses on the south side of the bridge in the Penn Mart Shopping Center and other areas.
DelDOT and the Delaware River and Bay Authority have been dealing with aging bridges in New Castle County. Projects have disrupted traffic and led to intense criticism of DelDOT in social media posts.
One especially painful period came in 2014 when I-495 was closed after it appeared that dirt stored under the bridge led to the soil becoming unstable and endangering the structure.
The high-profile closing that cost $45 million to fix included a visit by President Barack Obama who used the occasion to pitch an infrastructure investment program.
His successor Donald Trump has also proposed an infrastructure program.
Obama stumps for infrastructure investment at Delaware’s I-495 bridge — NewsWorks
