Harbeson intersection to get upgrade in 2017
As three Route 9 intersection improvement projects come to an end, work on a fourth intersection has been scheduled to begin two years from now. Using a combination of state and federal funds, the four projects will cost nearly $10 million.
The Delaware Department of Transportation has announced plans to upgrade the Route 9-Route 5 intersection in Harbeson to include left-turn lanes and right-turn/through lanes on each of the four corners of the intersection.
Additional improvements included in the $3.5 million project will include new drainage and stormwater features, new curbing and sidewalk and two bridge culverts. Right-of-way purchase is scheduled to begin in October with construction expected to start in summer 2017.
State transportation officials said over the past 10 years, 110 crashes were reported at the intersection; half were rear-end collisions.
To make way for the improvement project, the owner of the small strip shopping center anchored by Harbeson Deli needed approval from Sussex County officials to move a building to allow for better access to the site.
At its Aug. 11 meeting Sussex County Council - based on a recommendation from its planning and zoning commission - voted to approve an application filed by John Floyd Lingo to rezone the site from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to CR-1, commercial, residential.
The action allows the applicant to move an existing barbershop at the west end of the property to a vacant lot on the east end of the property. The barbershop is the former Harbeson post office.
Richard Abbott, the applicant's attorney, said the original DelDOT reconfiguration plan for the intersection would have resulted in the removal of the deli's gas pumps. “This new plan works for all parties involved,” he said.
The move of the barbershop building will allow more space for roadwork as well as more space for delivery trucks in and out of the parcel.
Most work has been completed at the Gravel Hill Road and Hudson/Fisher Road intersections with work ongoing at the Sweetbriar/Dairy Farm Road intersection.
The projects were identified as needing safety improvements as part of the 2009 federal Highway Safety Improvement Program.
Work at the three intersections included separate left-turn lanes, through and right-turn lanes on the approach legs at each corner. Street lighting has been added to improve visibility.
