about the delaware memorial bridge

The Delaware Memorial Bridge links Delaware and New Jersey in graceful twin suspension spans that soar high above the Delaware River, just north of the mouth of the Delaware Bay. The twin spans touch down in New Castle, Delaware, and in Pennsville, New Jersey. The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a self-supporting toll bridge operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, a bi-state agency.

The bridge is a lasting memorial to those soldiers who gave their lives in World War II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm. Each year on Veterans Day, a special ceremony is held at the Bridge War Memorial, which overlooks the Twin Span.

In April 1945 the Delaware State Highway Department was authorized to construct and operate a crossing of the Delaware River between New Castle, Delaware, and Pennsville, New Jersey. It took $44 million to build the graceful 440-foot-high span, which opened to traffic on August 16, 1951.

By 1955, nearly 8 million vehicles were crossing the bridge each year—almost double the original projection. As a result, talks about building a second bridge were soon underway, and a twin span was dedicated in 1968. Although the spans look identical, there are differences. Today, more than 100,000 vehicles cross the twin spans on their combined total of 8 lanes daily.