Pedestrian improvements planned in Dewey

Walking in Dewey Beach is about to get safer, thanks to a pavement and pedestrian improvement project set to begin in September.

State transportation officials told town commissioners Aug. 9 that new sidewalks will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, featuring bump-outs and rapid flashing beacons at crosswalks where there are no signals.

Delaware Department of Transportation construction engineer George Pierce said the paving project that began in the Forgotten Mile in the spring was suspended over the summer and will pick up again in late September.

Pierce said Route 1 has drainage issues, many sidewalks aren’t up to code and the pavement is in horrible condition. He said bump-outs are designed to provide access for people with disabilities.

Commissioner Dale Cooke asked designers to keep bump-outs from extending into the roadway as much as possible. “We had so many problems with that on St. Louis Street,” he said.

In June, DelDOT installed a bump-out at the intersection of St. Louis Street and southbound Route 1, where it covers more than half of the shoulder. 

Pierce said bump-outs would follow the same pattern as the one on St. Louis Street, but that engineers learned some lessons from that curb work.

Town Manager Scott Koenig, who is also a professional engineer, said Coastal Highway’s travel lanes are currently 12 feet wide. After resurfacing, they will be marked at 11 feet wide, which will add 2 feet to the shoulders. 

“The bump-outs will extend from the existing curbline approximately 5 to 7 feet into the existing shoulder/bike lane at the identified locations,” Koenig said. “After completion, the bike lane will be at least 5 feet wide at each of the bump-out locations so they can maintain an adequate bike lane.” 

Kyle Clevenger, senior project engineer for Whitman Requardt Associates in Wilmington, said rapid flashing beacons will be placed at crosswalks that do not have traffic lights. Pedestrians will press a button on the beacon when they want to cross, and the beacon will flash to alert drivers.

Pierce said work will be done on a design-build basis to fast-track this project, which is not unusual. He advised commissioners to work with DelDOT to create a capital improvement project, in which town officials and residents could make suggestions to conceptual plans.

“It gives a lot of ownership in the design process,” he said.

Mayor TJ Redefer said the project will be a major upgrade to Dewey’s streets.

“We’re going to have better pedestrian areas. It’s going to be safer,” he said. “Our roads will be substantially better, and people will drive slower throughout our town.”