The History of the Delaware Memorial Bridge

The Delaware Memorial Bridge spans the Delaware River and connects New Jersey with the First State. Originally opened in 1951 with one span, the Delaware Memorial Bridge links New Castle, Delaware to Pennsville, New Jersey and is a vital connection for drivers traveling between places like New York and Washington D.C.

A drive over the Delaware Memorial Bridge provides views of Wilmington and distant Philadelphia. However, with the tops of the supporting structures over 40 stories tall, the Delaware Memorial Bridge can be seen from the ground from numerous vantage points miles away.

Locals often refer to the bridge as the 'Del Mem' or 'Del Mem Bridge.'

The History of the Delaware Memorial Bridge

Construction on the Delaware Memorial Bridge began in 1949. Over the course of the next two years, a single-span suspension bridge with a road deck 175 feet high slowly rose above the legendary Delaware River. The towering support structures, standing on either side of the Delaware River, climb 440 feet above the water.

Opening with four lanes, the Delaware Memorial Bridge drew traffic loads beyond projections. In 1955, 8 million cars drove over the Delaware Memorial Bridge. 15 million vehicles used the Delaware Memorial Bridge every year in 1960. The completion of the Delaware Turnpike in 1963 only further increased the vehicle load on the bridge.

With the Delaware Memorial Bridge clearly a hit with millions of motorists every year, the need for a second nearby bridge spanning the Delaware River was met by the late 1960s. A nearly identical second span was completed in 1968. The second span parallels the original bridge, making the Delaware Memorial Bridge a dual-span structure offering eight lanes of roadway.

The original span was closed for 15 months beginning in late 1968 for repairs and refurbishment; it reopened by the end of 1969.

Delaware Memorial Bridge Fast Facts

The Delaware Memorial Bridge is part of Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 40 and connects the New Jersey Turnpike and Delaware Turnpike.

The toll rate is $3 per car.

80,000 cars drive over the bridge daily.

In 2000, the 1 billionth car drove over the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

The first span cost $44 million.

The second span cost $77 million.

The Delaware Memorial Bridge's total length is nearly 10,800 feet.

The complete length of the suspension bridge portion of the Delaware Memorial Bridge is 3,650 feet.

The primary suspension span is 2,150 feet long.

Who Does the Delaware Memorial Bridge Honor?

When the first span of the Delaware Memorial Bridge opened in 1951, the bridge was dedicated to people who died serving in World War II - especially those from New Jersey and Delaware. When the second span opened in 1968, those who died in the Korean War and Vietnam War were formally honored.

On every Memorial Day and Veterans Day, a ceremony is held at a war memorial built near the Delaware Memorial Bridge in New Castle, Delaware. The memorial honors those who fought and died in war and has a special memorial wall bearing 15,000 names - all Delaware and New Jersey residents who died fighting in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War.

Resources

Personal and first-hand knowledge and experience
Delaware River and Bay Authority: Delaware Memorial Bridge
Wikipedia: Delaware Memorial Bridge