Six-month closure at Malfunction Junction begins Nov. 6

One of the most significant road closures in recent Cape Region history is set to begin Monday, Nov. 6, when the intersection of Plantation Road, Beaver Dam Road and a connector road to Route 9 will close for six months.

The closure will not affect Route 9 traffic, but anyone who uses the intersection, unaffectionately known as Malfunction Junction, will need to find alternative routes.

The closure is required to complete a new roundabout and access road just west of the Five Points intersection. When complete, transportation officials are confident the improvements will eliminate the awkwardness and backups that are common at the intersection and improve safety.

“Living through it is not the easy part. We know that,” said Charles “CR” McLeod, Delaware Department of Transportation director of community relations, at an Oct. 26 press conference announcing the upcoming closure.

A portion of the roundabout is expected to open in March, when DelDOT will allow traffic to flow to and from Plantation Road and Beaver Dam Road. A roundabout leg to the new extended Route 9 connector road will remain closed as crews finish that portion of the project.

Since there will be no traffic turning onto the Route 9 connector road during the closure, the traffic signal will be inactive, which officials say should reduce congestion west of Five Points. Church Street, which is adjacent to the Route 9 connector, will also be closed during construction.

If all goes as planned, the improved intersection with a new access road from Route 1 southbound through the former Bests’ Ace Hardware property will be fully operational by Memorial Day weekend.

Other work on Plantation Road will continue into the summer, McLeod said.

The roundabout will comprise two lanes, a unique feature in Delaware. The only other two-lane roundabout in the Cape Region is on Rehoboth Avenue. The goal is to keep traffic moving through the intersection. The project also includes improvements on Route 9, including two left-turn lanes from Route 9 toward the roundabout.

New entrances at Lowe’s

McLeod said DelDOT has been in contact with Lowe’s about the upcoming closure. Initially, the northernmost entrance (closest to Five Points) will be closed, but shortly after, so will the main access.

Lowe’s is working to add two new entrances on the opposite side of the parking lot on Shady Nook Drive, which is the entrance road to the Lewes Transit Center. When complete, drivers will be able to access Lowe’s from Route 1 or Shady Road. When the DelDOT project is complete, Lowe’s customers will also be able to access the parking lot from Plantation Road.

DelDOT delayed work in front of Lowe’s main access until Dec. 6 to give the store more time to get the new entrances installed. 

Until the new accesses are complete, though, traffic will have to use the southernmost entrance near the back side of the store’s outdoor garden center.

Resident concerns

About a dozen residents attended the Oct. 26 press conference at the Lewes Transit Center. Concerns raised included access to homes and developments, detours for truck traffic and education about driving through roundabouts. Local residents also urged DelDOT to add a temporary traffic signal at the intersection of Beaver Dam Road and Dairy Farm Road, which has two difficult-to-see approaches for drivers waiting on Dairy Farm Road.

McLeod said there are no plans to add a temporary signal, but DelDOT will monitor traffic at the intersection and make changes as needed. DelDOT Project Manager George Pierce also noted that traffic on the eastern end of Beaver Dam Road will be significantly reduced since only local residents will be using that section of road. He noted there will be a soft closure at the intersection, which allows local traffic through but alerts other drivers to detour.

To view project plans and recommended detours, go to tinyurl.com/yc6b4335.

Detours

Southbound Route 1 to Beaver Dam Road – Turn right onto Route 9, then left onto Dairy Farm Road to Beaver Dam Road

Southbound Route 1 to Plantation Road – Turn right onto Shady Road to Plantation Road

Plantation Road to Beaver Dam Road – Take Cedar Grove Road to Kendale Road to Beaver Dam Road

Beaver Dam Road to Plantation Road – Take Kendale Road to Cedar Grove Road to Plantation Road

Northbound Route 1 to Beaver Dam Road – Take Postal Lane to Cedar Grove Road to Kendale Road to Beaver Dam Road, or Route 9 to Dairy Farm Road to Beaver Dam Road