DelDOT says the last major phase of emergency repair work to reopen to the I-495 bridge over the Christina River is underway.
Crews have begun jacking the bridge to realign the tilted southbound span back into place.
Beginning the jacking process now means the work to get traffic back on the bridge remains ahead of schedule, but DelDOT officials note jacking is a slow methodical procedure and they are unable to say how long it will take.
Officials are willing to say they are confident they will meet or exceed the target of opening the southbound lanes by September 1, with northbound lanes to follow about two weeks to a month later.
I-495 has been closed in both directions at the bridge since June second when it was determined the span was tilting. Engineers point to 50 thousand tons of soil piled next to the structure as the cause of the issue.
