Canary Creek bridge replacement delayed

A project to replace the Canary Creek bridge on New Road in Lewes was expected to begin in fall 2023, but unexpected delays have pushed it back to the end of 2026.

“Due to the bridge being in a wetland, and the impact area being greater than the existing footprint of the bridge, we are required to create a wetland mitigation site,” said Delaware Department of Transportation Community Relations Director Charles “CR” McLeod. “Finding a property owner willing to sell to us so that we can build the mitigation site proved to be a challenge, which is the reason for the project being delayed.”

DelDOT had coordinated construction of a new bridge with the Old Orchard Road realignment project schedule, which was set to begin immediately after the bridge project to avoid major traffic issues.

McLeod said the Old Orchard Road project is moving ahead, with utility relocations already underway. Once that work is complete, construction will begin. That project will see Old Orchard Road shifted north to align with the existing intersection of Savannah Road and Wescoats Road, immediately adjacent to Walgreens and Dollar General. The plan also includes changes to Marsh Road and Clay Road, including a roundabout at Wescoats Road and Marsh Road behind the I.G. Burton car dealership. Old Orchard Road’s existing T intersection at Savannah Road will be removed as part of the project.

Active projects

Several other DelDOT projects are underway in the Cape Region, including reconfiguring the intersection of Plantation Road, Beaver Dam Road and Route 9 just west of Lewes, and a new grade-separated interchange at Route 1 and Route 16.

The Plantation Road-Beaver Dam Road-Route 9 project is well underway, with anticipated completion before Memorial Day this year. The project will see the addition of a new four-legged roundabout in a space that was previously open land. Placing the roundabout farther away from the Route 9 intersection allowed DelDOT to extend the roadway between Route 9 and the roundabout to accommodate more cars. The plan also adds a new road through the former Bests’ Ace Hardware property, giving southbound Route 1 traffic direct access to the new intersection.

DelDOT anticipates opening the roundabout to Beaver Dam Road to Plantation Road through traffic in March, then opening the entire roundabout in May when the Route 9 connector is complete.

A project to build a grade-separated intersection at Route 1 and Route 16 broke ground in 2022. Since then, a lot of work has been completed, including shifting Route 1 lanes to make way for new bridge approaches. Steel recently began rising from the ground, providing drivers with a sign of progress. Work will continue throughout 2024, and the project’s estimated completion is late 2025.

Minos Conaway Road

Work is expected to begin this year on the Minos Conaway Road grade-separated intersection. The project is large in scale, as it will significantly change how drivers navigate around the Nassau area north of Five Points. Construction is expected to begin this summer, with a targeted completion date of 2027.

The project includes service roads on both sides of Route 1, from north of Minos Conaway Road to the Nassau Bridge. 

A new road will be built under the Nassau Bridge, where only the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail exists now. Preliminary work began in late 2023, when a house and warehouse in the path of the road were removed.

Three roundabouts are planned as part of the project. One will be constructed at the intersection of Nassau Road and New Road, with a leg going to the new road under the bridge. Another is planned near the Lewes Senior Activity Center, connecting Janice Road with the Nassau Bridge road and a new southbound access road off Route 1. A third roundabout is set to be built just off southbound Route 1 at Minos Conaway Road.

Also part of the project is a trailhead with a parking lot near the Lewes Senior Activity Center.

Millsboro bypass

Crews are progressing on the Millsboro bypass project, with bridges beginning to take shape on both sides of Millsboro Pond. The project will connect Route 113 with Route 24 by creating a new road north of Millsboro. Much of the work can be seen up close on Gravel Hill Road, where large cranes are inching their way out onto the new bridge. The bridge approach is also rising from the ground just east of Gravel Hill Road. On the western side of the pond, crews are moving eastward from Fox Run Road, with bridge supports beginning to be constructed. McLeod said the project remains on schedule, with an anticipated completion in 2025.

A full list of DelDOT projects, including project information and timelines, can be found at deldot.gov/projects.