Lewes road work resumes Jan. 2

Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 2, crews will begin tearing up roads in downtown Lewes in the second year of a two-year project to improve the city’s water and sewer infrastructure. Work is expected to continue on Front Street and Savannah Road until late April.

“This is going to be a real burden on our businesses downtown,” said Darrin Gordon, Lewes Board of Public Works general manager. “Please come and support our local businesses. We’re going to do everything we can to keep sidewalks open and have that access available to them.”

Crews from Teal Construction will pick up where they left off in the spring, adding 70 feet of sewer line on Front Street near the Inn at Canal Square.

Simultaneously, work will begin on the 1812 Park lot, where the entire lot will be resurfaced, a new island will be constructed and new lighting installed. The slope of the steep entrance into the lot from Front Street will be reduced.

When Front Street work is complete, crews will move to Savannah Road, where they will put in a new 12-inch water line from Front Street to Third Street and about 100 feet east toward city hall. Gordon says the work will improve reliability and water quality. The existing pipe is at least 70 years old.

After crews finish Savannah Road work, they will move back to Front Street, where they will completely rebuild Front from Savannah Road to the Inn at Canal Square.

“That’s going to be a major project,” Gordon said. “We’re looking to do it in three sections.”

Gordon said the April end date is a conservative estimate. He said rain and snow dates have been built into the schedule, but the temperature ultimately determines if crews from George & Lynch can lay asphalt.

“We might be done and ready to lay asphalt in early April but because of the temperatures we just can’t,” he said. “There are DelDOT rules we have to follow.”

There will be road closures throughout the project. The city is not permitted to have closures on two state roads at one time, so work will move back and forth between Savannah Road and Front Street. Detours will be posted for motorists.