Lake Avenue in Rehoboth set for $1.2 million update

After years of planning, the second and final phase of the Lake Avenue streetscape project in Rehoboth Beach is expected to be completed by Memorial Day 2021.

The city completed Phase I of the project in 2017, installing sidewalks on both sides of Lake Avenue from Rehoboth Avenue to Third Street. The roadway was repaved and utilities were relocated.

During a meeting Jan. 27 in city hall, city officials and project engineers laid out a timeline for completion of Phase II.

Jim Lober, director of engineering for city consultant The Kercher Group, said work is expected to begin after Labor Day 2020 and be completed by Memorial Day 2021. Roads will be closed except for local traffic, he said.

Lober said the purpose of the project, and the reason the federal government has put $1.6 million toward the $2.2 million cost of both phases, is to calm traffic and improve pedestrian safety. 

Standing in front of four poster boards, Lober described the coming changes. He started with the awkward intersection of Third Street and Lake, Maryland and Olive avenues. He said the triangular island will be extended toward Lake Avenue and a formalized four-way stop sign will be installed.

At the Maryland Avenue and Second Street intersection, Lober said, all four corners will be made wider, shortening the distance for pedestrians to cross the street and eliminating one of the turn lanes next to the Maryland Avenue entrance of The Breakers.

At Second Street and Olive Avenue, Lober said, Second Street will be slightly altered so that it comes into Olive Avenue at 90 degrees. He said a stop sign will be installed on Olive Avenue at the intersection.

Stormwater infrastructure will be replaced within the triangular area between Maryland and Olive. Lober said instead of grass and trees, a rain garden will be planted. He said the stormwater drain running into Lake Gerar will be replaced.

The water already goes into the lake, but the project will make it slightly cleaner, he said.

The removal of trees on the island prompted questions to City Arborist Liz Lingo, who said a final landscaping plan, with as many native species plants as possible, is still in the works.

It was an informal meeting, but a number of commissioners were in attendance. Commissioner Lisa Schlosser asked if streetlights were going to be changed to LED. Lober said that was not part of the project.

Lober was asked if the city would lose parking spots as part of the improvements. He didn’t have the numbers in front of him, but he said it was few. 

Mayor Paul Kuhns said he thought the long-time-coming project looked good and was needed. It’s one of a few areas around town that need traffic-calming measures, he said.

Originally, just like Phase 1, the state and city were going to split the $1 million project 80/20, but the estimated cost for Phase II is now $1.2 million. The city has budgeted $400,000, or 33 percent of the total, in next year’s proposed budget.

After the presentation, Public Works Director Kevin Williams said the additional $200,000 isn’t going to a specific part of the project, but reflects an overall increase in prices.