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UPDATE: Route 1 partially open both directions north of IR bridge

Left lane on northbound Route 1 at the Indian River Inlet Bridge allowing traffic to flow
After being closed all night because of a dune breach, DelDOT announced April 19 that the left lane of the northbound side of Route 1 had been opened. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTOS
August 18, 2024

Story Location:
Indian River Inlet bridge
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
United States

For the second time since March, the northbound lanes of Route 1 were closed after the dune was breached because of a storm. The dune was breached at the evening high tide Aug. 18, forcing the closure of Route 1 overnight. The Delaware Department of Transportation closed Route 1 at Fred Hudson Road north of Bethany Beach. DelDOT opened the left lane on the northside of the highway about 9:30 a.m., Aug. 19.

C.R. McLeod, DelDOT spokesperson, said DelDOT has no concerns about the structural integrity of the bridge.

Unlike the breach in March, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control appears to be using rip rap to fortify the dune this time around instead of sand.

Michael Globetti, DNREC spokesperson, couldn’t provide more information on the use of rip rap, any other information, because, he said, DNREC’s subject matter expert on the rip-rap and marine debris needed time to come up for air after directing the ongoing repair efforts with DelDOT.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new photos and comments from DelDOT and DNREC.

This is the second time since March the dune has been breached north of the Indian River Inlet. Instead of putting sand in place, DNREC appears to have dumped rip rap to help prevent this in the future.
Like it does during all large storms, large pieces of debris from old roads are now on the beach.
People stand at the end of the dune to watch the ocean waters pound around high tide the morning of April 19.
You’ve been warned.
This view from an Indian River Inlet bridge traffic camera Aug. 18 shows ocean waters breaching the dunes north of the bridge, and flooding both northbound and southbound lanes of Route 1. SOURCE: DELDOT

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