Wilmington grew up where the Christina River and Brandywine Creek meet near the Delaware River, and I-95 runs straight through the city on its way between Philadelphia and Baltimore. I-495 follows the riverfront as an eastern bypass, and I-295 leads south to the twin spans of the Delaware Memorial Bridge and New Jersey. US 202, Concord Pike, heads north through Brandywine Hundred toward Pennsylvania, US 13 runs south toward New Castle and Dover, Route 141 curves around the western suburbs, and Route 52 follows Pennsylvania Avenue and Kennett Pike northwest into chateau country.
I-95 through the city is elevated and busy, and long stretches of rebuilding on the viaduct have made delays routine. The I-95 and I-495 split near Claymont and the approaches to the Memorial Bridge carry heavy truck and commuter traffic, and Concord Pike north of the city is a long string of traffic lights and shopping center entrances. Downtown's grid fills with bank and law office workers on weekdays. Getting off the interstate to a side street or a lot is the first step after any breakdown here.
The city's Amtrak station sits on the riverfront, with SEPTA regional rail to Philadelphia and a commuter garage beside the tracks. Wilmington Airport in New Castle handles mostly private flying, so most travelers use Philadelphia International. DART buses link the city and suburbs, but most households drive, and a good share of them make the daily run up I-95 into Pennsylvania. Within the city, older streets are narrow and lined with row houses, while the suburbs north and west offer driveways and garages, so where a repair happens depends a lot on which side of town the car is on.