Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail work to start in May

The next phase of the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail, from Cool Spring Road to Fisher Road, is scheduled to start construction in May and be completed by late August, according to Charles “C.R.” McLeod, director of Delaware Department of Transportation community relations.

The $1.18 million contract was awarded to Mumford and Miller, which is the same company doing the work on the Savannah Road sidewalk project in Lewes.

So far, the trail has followed the former Delmarva Central Railroad track, but will take a slight detour as part of this project.

The section will cross Cool Spring Road where the current trail ends and proceed along the northern side of Route 9 to the Hudson Road-Fisher Road intersection to provide a signalized crossing of Route 9. It will not have a crossing at the Route 9-Cool Spring Road intersection, which is a non-signalized junction, because it is not a safe crossing for cyclists and pedestrians, McLeod said.

“We did perform an analysis to see if a signal was warranted, but it did not meet the criteria as presently used,” he said.

In addition, McLeod said, a trail spur along the former railroad track will be constructed from Fisher Road to Stephen R. Hudson Park on the south side of Route 9 along Cool Spring Road.

The Sussex County Land Trust, which purchased the park property with open space funds from Sussex County, has plans to construct a trailhead with parking and eventually a bathroom facility at the park.

The land trust has also been active in promoting and designing a pedestrian-bicycle bridge over Route 9 at the intersection to provide a safe crossing for those using the trail.

Land trust officials said the project will need support and funding from DelDOT if it is to proceed.

So far, six trail phases have been completed, with five remaining. The most recent section, from Parsons Lane to Airport Road behind Sussex Academy in Georgetown, was opened in November 2021. The first phase, from Gills Neck Road to Savannah Road in Lewes, opened in October 2016. When completed, the trail will be 17 miles long.

Completed sections

Lewes to Cape Henlopen State Park, 9,000 feet

Savannah Road to Gills Neck Road, 6,000 feet

Minos Conaway Road to Savannah Road, 17,250 feet

Log Cabin Hill Road to Minos Conaway Road, 8,400 feet

Cool Spring Road to Log Cabin Hill Road, 4,250 feet

Georgetown to Airport Road, 4,800 feet

Remaining sections

Fisher Road to Cool Spring Road, 7,300 feet

Harbeson Road to Fisher Road, 7,850 feet

Gravel Hill Road to Harbeson Road, 9,250 feet

Park Avenue to Gravel Hill Road, 8,600 feet

Airport Road to Park Avenue, 6,200 feet