The Blue Route is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year as a fully operational link between I-95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Also known as I-476, it has become so popular that its original mission to reduce congestion on local roads has been turned on its head. These days, navigation apps will reroute drivers onto less congested local roads, writes Michael Bradley for Main Line Today.
“As soon as it opened, the Blue Route was already not enough,” said Pennsylvania Sen. Tim Kearney, whose district includes several Delaware County communities.
When the Blue Route opened in 1991, it had already gone through 50 years of planning, lawsuits, protests, and environmental battles.
These days, PennDOT is working on plans to ease Blue Route congestion by converting shoulders and median space into extra lanes during rush hour and other heavy-travel times.
Overhead lights will show if a lane is open. If there’s an accident blocking a lane, an overflow passage will keep traffic moving.
Construction between Route 3 and I-95 will happen over several years, with northbound lanes expected by 2027 and southbound lanes by 2030, along with an expanded I-95 interchange.
Read about the Blue Route’s long history and how it influenced residential and business growth in the area in Main Line Today.
Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on DELCO Today in January 2026.
