$11M bid awarded for Old Orchard, Wescoats realignment
A nearly $11 million bid was awarded Aug. 25 for a project to realign Old Orchard and Wescoats roads near Lewes.
Work is not expected to begin until next year after utilities are relocated this year, said Charles “C.R.” McLeod, director of community relations for the Delaware Department of Transportation.
A-Del Construction Co. Inc. of Newark was awarded the $10,980,406 bid over three other competitors for the work. Other bids ranged from nearly $11.7 million to $14.6 million.
A-Del did not return a call seeking comment.
The road project – which will cost more than $28 million when adding in design and right-of-way acquisition costs – will eliminate or improve awkward road intersections in the area and create pedestrian and bicycle paths.
The federal government will pay for 80% of the project cost, with the state covering the balance, McLeod said.
The contractor will move the Old Orchard Road intersection with Savannah Road farther east to align with the intersection of Wescoats and Savannah roads. That will form a four-way intersection where a traffic light exists now.
The project also will create a roundabout at the intersection of Wescoats and Marsh roads.
Work has begun to relocate utilities along the road in anticipation of reconstruction of the roads, McLeod said.
In total, two miles of roadways will be built in the project, McLeod said.
Details of the schedule are still being worked out, but the project to rebuild the roads will likely begin early next year and take 1,036 calendar days to complete over 11 phases, he said.
During Phase 4 construction, Old Orchard Road will be closed for an estimated 35 days and detoured to complete the tie-in of the new alignment between East Austin Street and East Chesapeake Street/Parker Run.
During Phase 7 construction, the intersection of Clay Road and Marsh Road will be closed for an estimated 180 days and detoured to construct the proposed realigned intersection. Marsh Road will remain closed for the duration of Phases 8 through 9.
During Phases 8 through 10 construction, the northbound direction of Wescoats Road will be closed for an estimated 310 days and detoured to construct the proposed roundabout at Marsh Road and roadway reconstruction along Wescoats Road.
There will be detours in place during construction. Details, including anticipated timelines, will be released by DelDOT when they are available, McLeod said.
In preparation for the project, Sussex County is having a sewer main along Savannah Road relocated because it is in the way of road improvements, said Hans Medlarz, a county engineer, earlier this year.
The county work will be done along Clay Road, Kings Highway and Gills Neck Road, McLeod said.
Kevin Conlon came to the Cape Gazette with nearly 40 years of newspaper experience since graduating from St. Bonaventure University in New York with a bachelor's degree in mass communication. He reports on Sussex County government and other assignments as needed.
His career spans working as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers in upstate New York, including The Daily Gazette in Schenectady. He comes to the Cape Gazette from the Cortland Standard, where he was an editor for more than 25 years, and in recent years also contributed as a columnist and opinion page writer. He and his staff won regional and state writing awards.
Conlon was relocating to Lewes when he came across an advertisement for a reporter job at the Cape Gazette, and the decision to pursue it paid off. His new position gives him an opportunity to stay in a career that he loves, covering local news for an independently owned newspaper.
Conlon is the father of seven children and grandfather to two young boys. In his spare time, he trains for and competes in triathlons and other races. Now settling into the Cape Region, he is searching out hilly trails and roads with wide shoulders. He is a fan of St. Bonaventure sports, especially rugby and basketball, as well as following the Mets, Steelers and Celtics.
