WILMINGTON, Del. — Drivers are being warned to expect traffic delays when a major construction project to completely rebuild the driving surface of the Delaware Memorial Bridge begins next month.

The News Journal reports that the project will remove the top two inches of the northbound (New Jersey-bound) side of the bridge deck and replace it with an “ultra high-performance concrete,” according to the Delaware River and Bay Authority.

In the first phase of the project, two lanes of the Delaware side of the bridge will be closed to traffic, with a third lane shut down overnight. The remaining two lanes will be open to traffic, as well as a bypass lane that will divert traffic around the construction. The bypass lane will only be for traffic headed to the New Jersey Turnpike.

The second phase of the project — expected to run from Feb. 1 to May 25, 2023 — will close the left two lanes along the entire length of the bridge.

The third phase, estimated for Sept. 5 to Nov. 21 of 2023, will close the two right lanes of the New Jersey side of the bridge.

Drivers headed south on the bridge into Delaware likely won’t see much change in traffic, given almost all the construction is occurring on the New Jersey-bound side. But DRBA said motorists “should expect traffic congestion and delays heading into New Jersey.”

The project, which will also including replacing relief joints and expansions joints, is expected to cost $71 million.

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