Huge increase in NCCo traffic in the past 10 years (Wilmington: house, live) - Delaware (DE) - City-Data Forum

Joe84323 · 08-21-2010, 05:53 PM

Has the traffic significantly increased to you guys in the past 5-10 years?

I started driving in 2000, and remember a lot less traffic even 4 years ago. It seems that there is a proportionally large increase in the traffic over what there was just 5-10 years ago.

For example, I don't remember I-95 being backed up too often when it was 4 lanes by the Rte. 1 interchange. Now, with 5 lanes, it's gridlock almost every day.

Route 7, 273, 13, even Kirkwood Highway seem to have gracious amounts of traffic all day, with the exception of an hour or so late morning, and after 8 o'clock.

The only roads that seem not to have changed too much are 202 and Phila Pike. It seems as though the traffic is concentrated more south and west of the city. I don't see any difference, as 202, for example, used to be complained about road in NCCo, whereas now it pales in comparison to the other roads.

I would to as far to say that perhaps the bad economy has taken its toll on the roads by causing people to move in droves due to the affordability and economy.

Also, I see much more aggressive driving than I ever did before.

Any thoughts?

jwkde · 08-21-2010, 06:41 PM

i live 6 miles from work. There are 13 traffic lights between home and work. When I moved here 14 years ago there were 5 traffic lights

ltdontcare · 08-22-2010, 10:59 AM

If you were going no where before, at least it didn't take that long. Now it takes forever...

jdoll · 08-22-2010, 11:12 AM

The obvious answer would be yes, especially when you consider almost 1/3 of the nations population lives along the 1-95 corridor. From 2000-2009 alone 47 million more cars hit the road. These are national numbers, but they make the poiint

1963 USA Pop. 188 mil Active Vehicles/83 mil *I-95 Opens with 4 lanes*
2009 USA Pop. 305 mil Active Vehicles/265 mil *I-95 @10 lanes in DE*

While I-95 lane additions in DE have not kept pace with the increase in vehicles, DELDOT has done much to keep up and DE is in much better shape that many other places. Consider the 3 lanes I-95 is through Chester, PA, etc. Traffic here may be worse than years past, but by comparison we have it pretty good traffic-wise in DE.

armx · 08-22-2010, 03:08 PM

Agree with Jdoll ...actually DelDOT has been on top of it and traffic lights are better synchronized compared to ten years ago. During that period most of the growth has been south of I-95 (more land available for development) so the roads there would experience heavier traffic now compared to before and that is perhaps why Rt 202 is not much different (good traffic light synchronization too)

Joe84323 · 08-22-2010, 09:01 PM

True... things could be like the Schuylkill Expressway

camrynh · 08-23-2010, 07:39 AM

We moved to NCC in March... from Northern Virginia. I can't speak to the increase in traffic here in the last 10 years, but I can say it's pretty much non-existent when compared to what I'm used to.

For example, I'm now 23 miles from the closest Target. It takes me the same amount of time to get to that one as it took me to get to the one closest to my house in NoVa (which was 4 miles from my house).

raven302 · 08-23-2010, 10:24 AM

If you look at my recent shots in the Delaware Photo thread it's hard to imagine Wilmington is nearby...

Joe84323 · 08-24-2010, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camrynh

We moved to NCC in March... from Northern Virginia. I can't speak to the increase in traffic here in the last 10 years, but I can say it's pretty much non-existent when compared to what I'm used to.

For example, I'm now 23 miles from the closest Target. It takes me the same amount of time to get to that one as it took me to get to the one closest to my house in NoVa (which was 4 miles from my house).

Whoops... northern NCco.... I always forget about below the canal being NCCo still.

camrynh · 08-24-2010, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe84323

Whoops... northern NCco.... I always forget about below the canal being NCCo still.

Eh. My husband works in Southern PA. His commute to work (up rt 1, to 95, to 202, to 100) is a piece of cake. That distance in NoVa would take 2.5-3 hours at best -- or 2 hours by train, inluding driving to the train station (here it takes him 1 hour 5 minutes). Is that more relevant for you?