Traffic near Wilmington courthouse to change

The renovation and expansion of the 1855 Customs House on King Street in Wilmington will cause traffic and parking headaches for drivers and those using the Williams Courthouse.

Traffic flow will change around the Wilmington courthouse in September as work continues on the renovation and expansion of the Custom House next to the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center on King Street.

Drivers and those needing to use the courthouse should be prepared for delays in the area.

Among the changes:

• One lane of North King Street in front of the Custom House will be closed on or near Sept. 12.
• There will be periodic closures and narrowing of Alico road, which leads to the courthouse parking garage.
• Part of Alico Road that loops behind the Custom House and back out to North King Street will be closed permanently, but that date is not yet determined.
• Sidewalks in front of and behind the Custom House will be closed during construction.
• The parking entrance from North King Street will sometimes be inaccessible, but the Walnut Street entrance will remain open.

The $76.7 million renovation of the 19th Custom House at 516 N. King is expected to take about 20 months and end in 2026.

It was built in 1855 and was one of the first federal buildings outside Washington, D.C, or New York, and the first federal building in Delaware.

The project will add a 51,650-square foot wrap-around addition to the 15,000-square-foot building, and restore the second-floor courtroom. It will be used for ceremonial functions and non-jury legal proceedings.

This map shows some of the ways traffic near the Wilmington Courthouse will be impacted by the renovation of the Customs House.

Courthouse traffic

During the construction, there will be access into and out of the courthouse parking garage from  Walnut Street. Using the address 537 North Walnut Street on a GPS device will bring you to the  Walnut Street entrance.

The Delaware Judiciary is encouraging the use of mass  transportation to get to the Leonard Williams Justice Center during the construction period. DART First State has several stops located near the courthouse.

During the construction, there will be no parking on Alico Road and no one may use Alico  Road to drop off passengers at the courthouse.

All drivers entering Alico Road will be  required to enter the parking garage. Traffic on Alico Road and space limitations will prevent  drivers from attempting to U-turn back onto N. King Street.

“We understand this will be an inconvenience, but we ask for  your patience during construction for the safety of everyone entering the courthouse,” said Deputy  Court Administrator Jaime Dolan.

Construction closures will also affect pedestrians, as the sidewalks in front of and behind  the Custom House will be closed during construction.

Additional updates on traffic disruptions will be posted on the Delaware Judicial Branch website during the construction.