Del-DOT has other things to do before considering the I-95/495 sinage controversy

by HOWARD M. BERLIN

5/6/2001

The debate as to whether to switch the designations of interstate highways I-95 and I-495 has surfaced again. Mr. Ron Williams of The News Journal has weighed in on the subject with his recent editorial of May 4, recounting its history and politics, both past and present.

Like Mr. Williams, I personally don’t care which way the two highways are named. But before tackling this politically sticky issue however, I feel there are more important issues that Del-DOT needs to concern itself with-issues that affect driving safety and just plain common sense. Although much of the signage and road markings in Delaware are clear and easy to follow-better than that of neighboring Pennsylvania-there nevertheless are some that defy logic, causing one to wonder what Del-DOT was thinking.

1. When entering the "on" ramp (up the incline) to I-95 South from Jackson Street just across Lancaster Avenue, one sees several "yield" signs. The first, on the curb to the driver's left tells of an upcoming yield sign. When this lane starts to merge with a lane coming from 2nd Street, there is a yield sign on the right curb of the "2nd Street" lane (still to the driver's left). About 20 so feet later there is another yield sign on the right curb for the driver entering from Jackson Street. Pray tell, who has the yield sign? Two signs, two different lanes!

2. Going north on US Route 202 (Concord Pike) from Broom Street, there are three lanes going up the hill. One then sees several overhead signs on the railroad overpass. The rightmost sign, positioned over the right-hand lane is for an exit to I-95 North to Philadelphia. Also this lane does not end here, but continues to the top of the hill. Now, the sign over the middle lane tells of an exit to I-95 South that one- quarter mile ahead. The poor guys from out of town stay in the middle lane-somehow thinking there is an exit there-and then realize the exit to I-95 South is now in the right-hand lane at the top of the hill. They now quickly change lanes, sometimes cutting off those already in the proper lane, to get to the exit ramp. There are no painted arrows on the right-hand lane.

3. Traveling on I-95 South between the on-ramp near Frawley Stadium and the I-295 split, the road is a three-lane highway. Just prior to the split, there is one overhead sign indicating drivers in lane must exit via the left lane to I-295 and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Also, there are no painted arrows to indicate this. Many drivers heading towards Newport and points south often drive (or speed) in this lane, bypassing the slower, more crowded center lane, and at the last moment, play "chicken" in changing lanes, cutting off drivers in the center lane, to head onto I-95 instead of I-295 and points unwanted. Also at this point, I-295 South starts to merge with I-95 on both the right and the left. If one is caught in the right-hand lane and not getting off at Route 141, one then has to move to the left one lane. However, the driver is not told this soon enough. There is a sign that says that the two right lanes must exit (again, with no painted arrows on the road). For all practical purposes at the 4:00 p.m. rush hour, I- 95 South is a single lane for about 100 or so yards. No wonder the traffic almost slows to a crawl.

4. My all-time favorite is the "5-lane change of death" one has to attempt when driving north on I-295 towards New Castle (after the I-95/295 split) and then wanting to get off on the exit for Routes 13 & 40. After splitting off from I-95 South and traversing a wide bend to the left, this section of I-295 North merges with the I-295 traffic exiting from I-95 North. During this merging of traffic lanes, there is a long solid line on the right-side of I-295 that legally prohibits the driver from crossing over until it is about one-fourth of a mile from the exit for Routes 13 & 40 in the far right-hand lane.

As anyone who has tried to negotiate this maneuver during rush hour knows, this takes both guts and luck in equal proportions. Starting the lane change earlier and allowing for more of a safetly margin would require the driver to make an illegal lane change by crossing a solid white line. Bet you would’t do this if a State Police car was behind you! Although I limited my criticisms to these few items in northern New Castle County, I’m sure there are similar horror stories throughout the rest of Delaware courtesy of our firends at Del-DOT.