Reconstruction of SR 2 - South Union Street, Wilmington, DE

Deteriorated pavement at a high-volume intersection on Delaware Route 2 (SR 2)—an 11-mile-long highway in northern New Castle County, DE—was causing delays for nearly 50,000 commuters. Before conditions worsened, Urban provided design services to reconstruct pavement from the Elsmere Viaduct on South Union Street to Sycamore Street in Wilmington, DE. The project was part of an Open-End Agreement with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT).  

Speedy Response

Alkali-silica reactivity, a condition that occurs over time in concrete, led to the severe cracks at this intersection. We needed to expedite reconstruction before the cracks turned into structural problems. Part of the road is on a curve, which complicated pavement replacement. It was another challenge to reduce the impact of construction on local businesses, utility companies, and residents as much as possible.

We prepared plans for pavement reconstruction, patching, milling, and overlay, as well as construction of ADA-compliant curbs and sidewalks, and repair of a concrete viaduct. We selected Superpave hot mix asphalt, which is known for its resistance to cracking, as the best method to prevent future pavement issues. Other services included field surveys; pavement coring; and development of construction phasing; maintenance of traffic; and lighting, signing, striping, and conduit plans. 

Resurfaced and Back to Normal

With the completion of the road’s reconstruction, traffic is now back to normal on the resurfaced stretch of South Union Street, to the relief of DelDOT, commuters, and residents. On top of solving issues of pavement cracking, the preventative methods used for this project will ensure fewer pavement problems in the future, allowing the road to continue being used for a longer time.