Wilmington's I-95 Cap Project Remains in Concept Phase

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A plan to build a cap over Interstate 95 through downtown Wilmington, Delaware and create a new public park on top remains in the conceptual design phase, according to a Delaware Department of Transportation spokesperson. The $300 million project has been researched since 2021 but has yet to secure the necessary federal funding to move forward with construction.

Why it matters

The proposed I-95 cap project in Wilmington is aimed at reconnecting neighborhoods divided by the highway's construction decades ago. If completed, it could transform the city's downtown and provide new green space, but the project's future hinges on securing significant federal infrastructure funding.

The details

The Delaware Department of Transportation has been researching and conceptualizing a plan to build a cap over a section of Interstate 95 through downtown Wilmington since 2021. The proposed $300 million project would cover the highway and create a new public park on top, reconnecting neighborhoods that were divided when the interstate was originally constructed. However, the project remains in the conceptual design phase as DelDOT works to secure the necessary federal funding to move forward with construction.

• The I-95 cap project has been researched and conceptualized since 2021.
• As of February 2026, the project is still in the conceptual design phase.

What’s next

DelDOT must secure federal funding, likely through infrastructure grants, in order to move the I-95 cap project from the conceptual design phase into actual construction.