- July 1, 2011
Gov. Markell and Sen. Carper Tour Newark Toll Plaza
Toll Plaza currently in testing phase; will hold ribbon cutting ceremony on July 25, 2011.
WILMINGTON – Today, Gov. Jack Markell and Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) toured the Newark Toll Plaza with Delaware Department of Transportation officials to discuss the technology and testing phase of the I-95 E-ZPass highway-speed lane openings at the Newark Toll Plaza in Delaware.
The I-95 Newark Toll Plaza underwent reconstruction and reconfiguration to incorporate two highway-speed E-ZPass lanes in the northbound and southbound directions. The project cost approximately $32.6 million and is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The project is currently in the testing phase and an official ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on Monday, July 25th from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
“The Newark Toll Plaza completion will be welcomed by hundreds of thousands of motorists that travel through Delaware on I-95 each day,” said Sen. Carper. “This project could not have been completed without federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the I-95 toll plaza upgrade is one of the largest ARRA-funded projects in Delaware. This not only will alleviate congestion, but reduce the harmful effects of emissions. That’s a win-win situation and just the type of project I envisioned when supporting this legislation in Congress.”
“This is one of those projects that put people to work and a lot of their hard work has paid off,” said Gov. Markell. “As we celebrate the freedoms we enjoy, one of the things we appreciate most is our mobility. This project enhances our mobility. The completion of this project sends a long awaited message to drivers on our interstate that Delaware is moving forward.”
The toll plaza will experience a high level of traffic this Fourth of July holiday weekend. Average daily traffic counts range from 110,000 cars a day, to more than 140,000 during holidays and tourist seasons like the one we are expecting this weekend. Because 55 percent of travelers use E-ZPass, congestion will be significantly reduced with highway-speed E-ZPass lanes.
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