First Phase of Major Bridge Deck Project Complete Ahead of Schedule

NEW CASTLE, Del. – Today, Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) officials announced that its contractor, UHPC Solutions North America LLC of Orange, New Jersey, completed Phase One of its $71 million bridge deck (driving surface) rehabilitation at 5:30 AM on Saturday, November 19, two days ahead of schedule.  As a result, all eight traffic lanes of the Delaware Memorial Bridge are now open for Thanksgiving week.

 “I’m very pleased that we are able to reopen all travel lanes to traffic ahead of schedule, allowing full access to our bridge in advance of the busy Thanksgiving travel period,” said DRBA Executive Director Tom Cook.  “I want to commend our entire team, the contractor UHPC Solutions as well as our own engineering department and our consulting engineers, for their prompt work.  They set an ambitious schedule of 78 calendar days for completion and exceeded it.  We thank the traveling public for their patience and perseverance during the construction.”  Cook noted that the right two lanes from the midpoint of the New Jersey-bound span back to the Delaware side are now fully rebuilt.  The second phase of the project, set to begin in February 2023 and conclude before Memorial Day weekend, will rehabilitate the left two lanes of the same structure.  The third and final phase of the project, which will complete the right two lanes from the midpoint of the New Jersey-bound span to the New Jersey side, is expected to begin after Labor Day 2023 and be completed prior to Thanksgiving week.

The DRBA’s deck rehabilitation involves the use of advanced technology in the form of an ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) overlay.  The UHPC overlay on the Delaware Memorial Bridge costs significantly less than what a traditional, full deck replacement would have cost, while also minimizing lane closure durations and inconvenience for our customers; yet it is expected to extend the service life of the bridge deck by several decades.  Use of UHPC on the Delaware Memorial Bridge is the largest such use in North America, to date.

 For the latest in traffic information and project updates, follow the Bridge on Twitter @demembridge or sign up for text alerts at www.bridgealerts.com.

 About the Delaware River and Bay Authority

The DRBA, a bi-state governmental agency created by Compact in 1962, owns and operates the

Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May- Lewes Ferry, and the Delaware City – Salem Ferry Crossing.  The DRBA also manages corporate and aviation properties through its economic development powers - two airports in New Jersey (Millville Airport and Cape May Airport) and three in Delaware (Wilmington Airport - ILG, Civil Air Terminal and Delaware Airpark). All DRBA operating revenues are generated through the bridge, ferry and airport facilities.  For more information, visit www.drba.net.