DelDOT plan targets Sussex bottleneck

In the face of opposition and a furor over costs, state transportation officials have scaled back a proposed $800 million plan to relieve traffic woes in Millsboro.

Delaware Department of Transportation officials say the newest alternative for a Route 113 bypass and other road improvements is a major compromise resulting from a 2013 hearing.

During that hearing two years ago, DelDOT officials got an earful from residents who opposed an $800 million, 16-mile project – known as the blue alternative – that would have affected more than 350 properties and resulted in 71 relocations. That plan was the end result of 30 proposed alternatives and eight rounds of public workshops dating back to June 2004. The 2013 plan was rejected by every Sussex County legislator.

That plan is gone. A so-called modified yellow alternative – unveiled to the public during an Oct. 14 workshop at Millsboro Town Center – is less than 3 miles long and is expected to cost less than $100 million with six property relocations.

"There was a lot of opposition to the blue alternative," said DelDOT Project Manager Bryan Behrens. "We listened to the public, and this plan is a reflection of what we heard in 2013. I think it's a good compromise to deal with one of the worst bottlenecks in Sussex County."

Behrens said there was little disagreement that the traffic situation in downtown Millsboro, and especially at the Route 24/Route 113 intersection, needed a fix.

Sen. Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View, said traffic congestion has reached the point that it's hurting businesses. “And people are learning to stay away from Millsboro at certain times,” he said.

The new plan features:

• A third lane and intersection improvements as needed along Route 113 in Millsboro from near the bridge at Betts Pond to Dagsboro Road. Route 113 will not be a limited-access road as earlier proposed, and a plan for road improvements to the Maryland line has been shelved.

• A two-lane bypass, connector road from Route 24 to Route 113. The new 2.75-mile road would include an overpass at Route 113 with connections at Route 24 near the Mountaire plant and at Route 113 at Patriots Landing.

If DelDOT moves forward with the new proposal, it must be approved by environmental agencies and pass muster to qualify for federal funds.

DelDOT officials will request a record of decision from federal highway officials in early 2016. If the project is eligible for federal funding, it will be ranked by DelDOT based on factors including safety and congestion. It would then be added to the six-year capital transportation program subject to funding.

Officials said if funding is allocated to the project, it would take at least five years for design, right-of-way purchases and permit allocation before construction could begin.