Northbound lanes of I-495 bridge in Wilmington reopened

WILMINGTON, Del. (WPVI) -- The northbound lanes of the I-495 bridge in Wilmington are officially reopened.

Around 2:30 Saturday afternoon, DelDOT officials did a stress test on the bridge with fully loaded dump trucks crossing over.

About 45 minutes later, the all clear was given for the lanes to open.

The reopening means that, after months of detours, traffic is now fully restored in both directions on I-495.

Governor Jack Markell said "Fully reopening this vital economic link in Delaware and along the northeast in less than three months is a testament to the hard work and dedication of so many individuals."

I-495 was closed to traffic since June 2 because of a major shift in the support columns under the bridge that spans the Christina River.

Federal highway officials determined that a large dirt pile dumped near the bridge was to blame for the damage.

DelDOT crews reopened the southbound lanes on July 31, about a month ahead of schedule.

The northbound lanes were expected to be reopened no later than Labor Day on September 1st.

Just this week Action News reported how crews were using the same jacking process on the northbound side as they used to fix the southbound lanes.

Officials thought that correcting the tilt would take some time from that point but it only took three days.

DelDOT Secretary Shailen P. Bhat says permanent repairs to the bridge are still underway but the roadway is safe for drivers to travel.

Bhat also pointed out that the support and cooperation of federal, state and local officials helped make the reopening possible.

The 4,800 foot bridge normally carries approximately 90,000 vehicles per day.

For up-to-date travel information visit www.DelDOT.gov and for web enabled devices, visit www.DelDOT.gov/Mobile.