DelDOT outlines future road improvements
There is no shortage of road projects planned for the Cape Region. At the April 25 meeting of the Five Points Working Group, Delaware Department of Transportation officials provided an update on the status of most major projects planned for the next five years. Additional information on all projects can be found by going to deldot.gov/projects.
Dualization of Route 24
Route 24 was recently widened to accommodate two lanes in each direction from Plantation Road to Mulberry Knoll Road. The next phase of the project will do the same from Mulberry Knoll Road to the Love Creek bridge. Design is complete, with right-of-way acquisition underway since fall 2019. Advance utility work began in March and will continue through the rest of 2022. Road construction is scheduled to begin in March 2023 and be completed later that year.
Route 1 intersection improvements
Intersection improvements are planned for three locations on Route 1. At Five Points, geometric modifications are planned to allow for a U-turn southbound to northbound. Changes are also planned for northbound Route 1 at Kings Highway, where the right turn will be modified to slow vehicular speeds for safer pedestrian crossings. At Old Landing Road, the southbound U-turn lane will be extended and the double turn lane into the Rehoboth Mall/Walmart shopping center will be cut down to one lane. Design for all three projects is underway, with construction planned for early 2023.
Plantation Road improvements
Phase 1 improvements to Plantation Road are planned from Robinsonville Road to Route 9. This project includes a roundabout intersection of Plantation Road, Beaver Dam Road and the connector road to Route 9. The plan is to construct the roundabout farther away from Route 9 than the existing intersection to create more room for stacking while also keeping traffic moving in other directions. The project includes two southbound lanes from the intersection to Robinsonville Road. Design and right-of-way acquisition are underway. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2022 with a completion date of 2024.
Phase 2 of the project is uncertain. The original plan proposed dualization of Plantation Road from Shady Road to the Route 24 intersection, but the project impacts an estimated 41 parcels. DelDOT is analyzing the benefits and impacts of the project.
Realignment of Old Orchard Road
Old Orchard Road east of Five Points will be realigned to meet Savannah Road at the intersection of Wescoats Road. On the other side of Savannah Road, improvements are planned to Wescoats Road and Clay Road, including a roundabout at Wescoats Road and Marsh Road behind the i.g. Burton car dealership. Design and right-of-way acquisition are underway. Advance utility relocation work is anticipated to begin in 2023, and the project is eyed for a 2025 completion.
Cave Neck Road roundabout
A roundabout is planned for the intersection of Cave Neck Road, Sweetbriar Road and Hudson Road south of Milton. The project is in the design phase, with right-of-way acquisition anticipated for late 2022. Construction completion is slated for 2025.
Minos Conaway Road grade-separated intersection
A major project is planned for Route 1 in the area of Minos Conaway Road and the Nassau Bridge. The project will add a new road under the Nassau Bridge, with access roads on both sides of Route 1. Three roundabouts and trail extensions are included in the latest plan. Design and right-of-way acquisition are ongoing. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2023, with a 2026 completion.
Cave Neck Road overpass
Just north of the Minos Conaway Road project is another planned grade-separated intersection project at Cave Neck Road. This project would create frontage roads on either side of Route 1 and three roundabouts. Design is ongoing, with right-of-way acquisition planned for late 2023. Completion is anticipated for 2026.
Kings Highway improvements
Introduced in February, DelDOT is planning big changes for Kings Highway from Dartmouth Drive to the Freeman Highway split near Lewes city limits. The project includes construction of five roundabouts and new shared-use paths. Conceptual design is underway as DelDOT reviews comments received at a Feb. 23 workshop. Another workshop is planned this summer. Projected construction completion is 2028.
Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail
Nearly half of the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail is complete. Phase 1 opened in October 2016, with seven additional phases and eight miles completed to date. When complete, the trail will be 16.9 miles, linking Georgetown and Lewes. The next phase from Cool Spring Road to Fisher Road is set to begin construction in May with anticipated completion in August. The remaining sections to be built are between Fisher Road and Airport Road in Georgetown. Design is expected to be complete by November 2023.
