Memorial Day weekend traffic in Delaware: Prepare for delays

Memorial Day traffic has begun for Delawareans, as southbound highways backed up Friday afternoon.

Del. 1 southbound by Christiana Mall had both lanes closed because of a crash as of 3:35 p.m.

Delays of more than 15 minutes have already started on Del.1 from Dover to Milford due to sheer heavy volume. 

Delaware Department of Transportation said Friday has already seen a few crashes with the high volumes of cars. Del. 1 south of Middletown had a backup of a couple of miles after a crash closed the southbound lane at 11 a.m., said spokesman C.R. McLeod. 

I-495 southbound had a lane closed for about an hour and two lanes on I-95 southbound south of Airport Road were closed because of another crash around lunchtime. 

Most of these drivers are trying to head to the beaches, resorts and beach towns, McLeod said. 

"The fender benders are what you are getting with holiday traffic when you are traveling in too close with a high volume," McLeod said. 

Delaware is making a few extra bucks this holiday weekend with drivers traveling through the state. 

Last year, I-95 toll plazas counted more than 410,600 cars passing through over the weekend and collected just over $1.73 million, DelDOT said. 

Del. 1 tallied about 280,000 cars visiting the beaches for the weekend, and added nearly $1 million to the state coffers. 

McLeod suggests motorists take advantage of the 160 traffic cameras across the state that are accessible on https://deldot.gov/ or the mobile app.

"Anyone can check traffic before hitting the road to avoid major backups and delays," he said.

Friday evening and night are expected to have the highest levels of congestion, along with all day Monday. 

Delaware State Police have said in a statement they plan to remain vigilant during the official start of the summer. 

"Troopers will be focusing on distracted driving, motorists not wearing seat belts, unrestrained children in vehicles, and any aggressive driving behaviors such as speeding, following too close, and especially, driving under the influence," Sgt. Richard Bratz said. 

Ken Grant of AAA said the agency got more than 1,280 calls from stranded motorists last weekend and offered tips for drivers to avoid car issues: 

• Tires should be properly inflated and in good condition.
• Fluids should be topped off or changed if they are dirty or contaminated.
• The radiator and cooling system should be checked for proper operation.
• Belts and hoses should be in tip-top shape.
• Vehicles should have an emergency kit — snacks and bottled water