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I-95 Welcome Center renamed to honor Biden Family

The “Delaware Department of Transportation Welcome Center” on I-95 is now officially the "Biden Welcome Center.”

Gov. John Carney signed legislation renaming the facility Monday. The bill was sponsored by State Rep. Gerald Brady and notes the change is meant to honor the “exemplary service to the State of Delaware the Bidens have provided”  and “their lifelong promotion of this State.”

Rep. Brady notes the name change will even reach people from out of state.

“It may be the first and only time that their Delaware experience is encountered. Yet those who venture this entire John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway will know that we have indeed a faithful and warm family,” said Brady.

Others at the name changing ceremony said nearly everyone in the First State has their own “Biden story” and recounted some of their personal ones.

The former vice president expressed gratitude for the recognition.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to travel the whole country and most of the world. And we’ve received occasional accolades along the way. But this is one of the most meaningful things that has happened to our family,” he said. “There’s no higher honor than to be recognized by those who know you best.”

 

A new sign bearing the Biden name was unveiled as part of the bill signing at the Welcome Center, and the former vice president spent a few minutes meeting with staff there.

The former Delaware Department of Transportation Welcome Center is located on the stretch of Interstate 95 near Newark.

Sophia Schmidt is a Delaware native. She comes to Delaware Public Media from NPR’s Weekend Edition in Washington, DC, where she produced arts, politics, science and culture interviews. She previously wrote about education and environment for The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, MA. She graduated from Williams College, where she studied environmental policy and biology, and covered environmental events and local renewable energy for the college paper.