Malfunction Junction roundabout taking shape
The new roundabout at the infamous Malfunction Junction intersection near Five Points west of Lewes is beginning to take shape.
The work will eventually necessitate a six-month closure of the intersection at Plantation Road, Beaver Dam and the short Route 9 connector road, as well as a 30-day closure of Robinsonville Road at Plantation Road.
The entire project is expected to be completed by spring 2025.
When finished, the 90-degree turn along Plantation Road near Lowe’s will become more gradual as it nears the new roundabout. The extended Route 9 access road will have two dedicated left-turn lanes onto westbound Route 9, with a dedicated merge lane for right turns onto eastbound Route 9 toward Five Points.
Salt Marsh Boulevard, the access to the Henlopen Landing community, will no longer intersect Beaver Dam Road at Church Street. Instead, it will have its own leg off the roundabout. Salt Marsh Boulevard will be closed during the first phase of construction. The Church Street connection to Beaver Dam Road will also be eliminated.
Going southbound out of the roundabout, Plantation Road will be dualized past Shady Road, where one of the two lanes will become a dedicated right-turn lane for traffic using Robinsonville Road.
Route 9 will also see improvements. Vehicles turning from Route 1 westbound will have two dedicated left-turn lanes at the Malfunction Junction light (there is currently one). The goal is to store more vehicles to alleviate backups into the Five Points intersection, which often block southbound Route 1 traffic.
The project also involves a new road through the former Ace Hardware property for southbound Route 1 traffic heading to Plantation Road or Beaver Dam Road.
