Savannah Road project changes course

Savannah Road bicycle and pedestrian improvements, in the works for more than a year in Lewes, have morphed into a new project. 

Gone are the streetscape enhancements – a separated bike path, a marsh overlook and brick paver crosswalks. Instead, officials from the city and Department of Transportation will develop a safety-improvement project that will shift vehicular traffic to allow bike lanes on both sides of the roadway from the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal to American Legion Road.

“We’re all disappointed [about losing the enhancements], but there comes a time when you recognize that when you’re talking to a wall, the wall isn’t going to talk back,” said Deputy Mayor Fred Beaufait. “We pushed as hard as we could, and this is what the results were.”

Council unanimously voted to enter into a design agreement with DelDOT for the project. The city will be required to cover 20 percent of the $125,000 design cost. If the city does not approve the final design, it will be on the hook for the entire $125,000. 

The construction phase of the project is estimated at $600,000 to $800,000. The city is also required to fund 20 percent of the cost, about $150,000. 

“We’re going to be paying that much money for a bicycle path for three-tenths of a mile,” said Councilman Dennis Reardon, who emphasized that the project will improve safety for bicyclists riding to and from the beach. “I just want everyone to understand that.”

The project calls for a 5-foot bike lane along the westbound, commercial side of Savannah Road and an 8- to 10-foot bike lane on the eastbound side, along the marsh. The two vehicular travel lanes will be reduced from nearly 12 feet to 10 feet.

Savannah Road must be widened and the existing 10-foot shoulder must be rebuilt to support the shifted vehicular traffic. 

“I don’t see this costing $700,000,” Beaufait said. “They’re only going to be redoing about an 8-foot width for three-tenths of a mile. I’m going to reach in the air and say it will be less than $500,000.” 

The original plan called for a single 8- to 10-foot multi-use path along the marsh, but no path along the commercial side. The path was intended for two-way bike and pedestrian traffic, and it was to be separated from the roadway by a vegetated buffer. The plan also included new sidewalks, landscaping, brick paver crosswalks to match those in downtown, improvements to the corner of American Legion and Savannah Roads and a nature outlook in the marsh.

Gail van Gilder, chair of the Historic Lewes Scenic Byway Committee, said she was disappointed by the considerable change. She said the original intent of the project was to improve the streetscape along Savannah Road, while creating a safe alternative for getting to the beach. 

“There was so much in it,” she said. “It would’ve been a big upgrade from what we have there now. I think we’re getting the short end of things. We were getting so much for a $1 million project. Now, we’re just getting a bike lane.” 

Members of council and the public were split on the original plan. Some said the two-way multi-use path would not solve safety problems and would create new ones where the path would end at the canal drawbridge. Others applauded the effort to offer a safe route to the beach. 

Cost concerns were also raised. The cost to the city was estimated at about $250,000 over at least two years through an 80-20 split with the federal government.

Jeff Niezgoda, assistant director in the planning division, said design of the new project should take about a year. Because construction is not possible during the summer on that stretch of road, he said it’s likely would begin in fall 2019.

Connection to other trails

The project is still being funded through the Transportation Alternatives Program, where the original application was submitted, but the project is now being defined as a bicycle improvement project. It still carries an 80-20 match with federal funds.

One of the goals, Niezgoda said, is to eventually connect the Savannah Road bike paths to a new trail planned to be built from the entrance of Cape Henlopen State Park along the decommissioned and soon-to-be-removed railroad tracks and across Freeman Highway to American Legion Road.

Niezgoda said DNREC is already planning and construction for that project could begin in fall 2018, about the same time as the second phase of the Lewes-to-Georgetown Rail to Trail from Savannah Road to Minos Conaway Road.

Lewes officials were awarded a $25,000 grant for the construction of the marsh outlook, originally part of the city’s project. Although that is no longer included in the project, Niezgoda said there have been discussions to build the outlook on the decommissioned rail line near the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. He said state and local officials are working to determine feasibility.