How to Travel Delaware’s Interstate 495

Travel in Newport

In Newport, the route begins at a spider's weave corner of Interstates. It comes off its main highway and concurrent route - Interstate 95 and US-202 - via exit 5D but intersects I-295 in a left southbound-only exit nearly immediately as you are about to get off I-495 onto the exits or I-95, while heading east, before encountering US-13 to DE-141 towards Newport, New Castle immediately thereafter. No exit numbers exist in this section, and these exits come up quickly. Expect access to Wilmington International Airport (ILM) within the exit heading towards DE-141.

Travel in Minquadale.

In Minquadale, it crosses over the Jack A. Markell Trail, then over the Christina River on the Christina River Bridge, and near a landfill to it's south - and comes to its exit shortly thereafter, and begins to curve north towards Wilmington. At its exit (1), you'll have access to Wilmington Station as a northbound exit (US-13 Business), while southbound has access to US-13 to US-40 toward New Castle Airport (ILG) and Wilmington Station.

Travel past Wilmington.

Near Wilmington, it stays on its mostly straight northeast heading, but encounters two different exits, before running along the Delaware River's edge before Fox Point State Park then running mostly north. There are two exits here. At exit 2, expect access to DE-9A (Terminal Ave). At exit 3, expect access to 12th St. Expect access at exit 2 to Port of Wilmington and Riverfront Attractions. In this stretch, you'll head past industrial zones before heading northeast and crossing Norfolk Southern Railway's New Castle Secondary and Christiana Ave Industrial Tracks and another landfill before reaching the 12th Street exit.

Travel in Edgemoor.

In Edgemoor, it stays on the river running line heading mostly north. It crosses marshes, Shellpot Creek and Norfolk Southern Railway's Edgemoor Lead line before reaching Edgemoor's exit to DE-3/US-13 and crosses over Norfolk Southern Railway's Shellpot Secondary and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line and with US-13 to its west and Northeast Corridor/Delaware River to it's east, passing northwest of Fox Point State Park, traversing Stoney Creek and Perkins Run. It encounters one of two differently-numbered exits, while for most of this area, this highway will remain concurrent with US-13, exiting at the next exit in the next town. Encounter exit 4A for US-13 and DE-3 N northbound, and 4B for DE-3 S for southbound 4B. Expect access to Brandywine Valley Attractions and Fox Point State Park here.

Travel in Claymont.

In Claymont, expect the highway to run northeast before curving to the west and running into its last numbered exit, then finishing its route at its northern terminus. There are two exits here, with the last one existing for southbound travelers only weaved into the exit point on I-95's northern area. Expect access to US-13 (the end of the concurrency) before merging back in with I-95 at its northern terminus near the former Tri-State Mall. As it makes its way into Claymont, it'll veer from the railroad track, while running along the river near Claymont Station (SEPTA's Wilmington/Newark Line) before coming to its last exit near former Tri-State Mall and PA State line, with service to DE-92 only from I-95, but signage from exit numbering on I-495. Wikipedia's information lists this northern terminus at the Pennsylvania state line (exit 11), but they say the ramps for this last exit are actually in Pennsylvania, but then immediately crosses 220 ft in inventoried by Pennsylvania as State Route 8009 (unsigned as this State Route number).