Google takes I-495 bridge in Wilmington, Del., off maps following shutdown

WILMINGTON, Del., June 4 (UPI) -- The closing of the I-495 bridge over the Christina River in Wilmington, Del., is expected to cause traffic chaos in the area.

The Delaware Department of Transportation shut down the bridge Monday night, announcing that four pillars were tilting. State Transportation Secretary Shailen Bhatt said Tuesday that engineers do not know when the bridge can reopen.

"We don't want to put traffic back on it until we get more shoring in place," Bhatt told WCAU-TV in Philadelphia. "You ask me 'Am I kept up awake at night by this?' This is the sort of thing that is a sort of Defcon 5."

By Wednesday, Google had eliminated the span from its maps and applications, showing a gap in I-495.

The highway, which bypasses downtown Wilmington, is a popular alternative to Interstate 95, which runs through the center of the city. It is also the major route to the city's port on the Delaware River.

The closing could mean major delays for drivers heading north and south from Philadelphia on 95, the major east coast interstate. It will have less effect on those using the New Jersey Turnpike, because the approach highway for the Delaware Memorial Bridge splits off from I-95 south of Wilmington.