Urban Park Over I-95 in Wilmington
May 20, 2021
A national park on top of I-95 would reconnect neighborhoods that were divided by the highway more than half a century ago.
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You are invited to join the Wilmington Area Planning Council for the final public meeting of I-95 Cap Feasibility Study. The community meeting will be held on Thursday, November 17 from 6-7:30pm at Ursuline Academy Student Life Center, 1106 Pennsylvania Ave, Wilmington. Parking is at the Franklin Street entrance.
During the meeting, the Draft Final Concept for the potential cap will be unveiled. The concept was developed based on the public feedback from several community workshops, stakeholders meetings, and community events over the last year. You’ll have the opportunity to share your thoughts on the draft concept, learn about the next steps, and influence the future of a new 12-acre public space in the City.
View Prior Workshop Presentations:
Workshop #1
Workshop #2
Workshop #3 (No presentation – workshop gathered public input/feedback)
• To learn more: www.wilmapco.org/i95cap
• To share via social media: https://www.facebook.com/events/567841928226296
• To view/print the workshop flyer: www.wilmapco.org/Sept6Flyer.pdf
Email any questions to rnovakoff@wilmapco.org
Para solicitar interpretación en español para este evento, envíe un correo electrónico a rnovakoff@wilmapco.org o llame al (302)737-6205.
The construction of I-95 through Wilmington resulted in the destruction of hundreds of homes between Adams and Jackson Streets. The ramps to downtown were constructed as a compromise to bring economic development to the downtown and Riverfront, and to offset the loss of the neighborhood. Construction of I-95 effectively created a wall between the West Side and the downtown area separating these neighborhoods. This also substantially increased traffic on parts of Adams and Jackson Streets, which now serve as busy service roads for the I-95 ramps instead of quiet neighborhood streets.
The affected neighborhoods were largely composed of middle class white families (80%) at that time with 23% being foreign born, similar to the City as a whole. Over time, the changes to Wilmington’s overall racial composition were amplified by the construction I-95 through these neighborhoods. Today, the area consists of a population that is 79% African American and minority, with the residents mainly considered as low income families.
To address the division created by I-95, Wilmington is now joining an ever-growing number of cities that are exploring ways to reconnect neighborhoods and provide new public spaces by creating caps over urban highways. These new lands are being used to create green spaces, plazas and cultural amenities that can reconnect neighborhoods and provide opportunities for residents to walk and bike more in their communities. – WILMAPCO
To learn more about the study and the Advisory Committee, visit WILMAPCO’s website.
"What we could ultimately do is bring communities together that were divided by I-95 running right through the city of Wilmington prior to many of us being born,"
A national park on top of I-95 would reconnect neighborhoods that were divided by the highway more than half a century ago.
About Delaware Greenways:
We envision a State where trails, pathways and scenic corridors connect everyone to where they want to go, empowering them to live healthier lives as they discover and enjoy the outdoors.
