Wilmington – The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has announced an immediate closure of Bridge 1-813 over the Christina River on 1-495.

DelDOT is closing the bridge today because an inspection showed four of the 37 support columns are tilted as much as four percent out of vertical alignment. The bridge is closed as of 6:00 p.m. today.  This will cause a significant impact to the traveling public, and we are coordinating with local, state, and federal partners to provide information as we receive it. Our bridge engineers and consultant are on the scene and are placing tilt sensors to monitor the bridge.

I-495 will be closed northbound at Terminal Avenue and message boards are in place on I-95 and SR 1 and Rt. 13. Local northbound traffic can stay on I-495 to Terminal Avenue. I-495 southbound will be closed at the Pennsylvania State Line.  Southbound traffic will be directed to take I-95 southbound.

DelDOT received a report about an anomaly with a column late Friday. An inspection crew was sent out first thing Monday morning. Additionally, a notification was received from a DelDOT Equipment Operator Monday morning who noticed a shifting of the concrete barrier on the road surface. After reviewing the data and pictures, our bridge engineer recommended closure until further investigation can be done.

Bridge 1-813 over the Christina is a concrete deck on steel beams, built in 1974.  It was last inspected in October 2012, and bridges of this type are inspected every two years. This section of I-495 carries approximately 90,000 vehicles daily.

Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

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