Progress is being made on a future trail connection from Milton to the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail along Route 9. 

A $35,000 state grant is being reallocated to study the planned trail. The Delaware Bicycle Council decided at its June 3 meeting to use the money to help fund an engineering study of two culverts at Beaverdam Creek on Walker Road near the Anthem housing development that may be used for the trail.

The state is working to finish the final six miles of the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail between Airport Road in Georgetown and Fisher Road near Milton. That will complete the 17-mile, $17.4 million project. 

In December, the bicycle council approved a $35,000 grant to Sussex County to study a potential tunnel under Route 9 in the Cool Spring area. However, Sen. Chris Coons also authorized funding to design a bike and pedestrian bridge over Route 9 at the same location.

Sussex County Administrator Todd Lawson said the county had to decide between the two options for a Route 9 trail crossing. It asked Delaware Department of Transportation officials which option the agency prefers, he said, and the state chose a bridge.

With federal aid available for the bridge study, the bicycle council decided to reallocate the $35,000 grant it gave to Sussex County and shift the funds to the Milton trail project.

A safer crossing is needed due to increasing traffic on the east-west artery generated by a growing number of housing developments in the area. 

Route 9 is part of state studies, including a joint project with Sussex County, to find ways to maintain vehicle capacity. A survey on the county’s website is gathering information from the public for a Route 9 corridor study.

The Stephen P. Hudson Park trailhead sits on the south side of Route 9, but trail users are discouraged from crossing Route 9 at the park. Instead, the safest way to cross Route 9 now is to travel to Fisher Road, cross Route 9 at the signal and then head back east. 

A large crowd attended a presentation on a trail project through Milton in November at Dogfish Head. At the time, DelDOT was arranging funding for a $176,000 study for the work and trying to determine potential routes and find the final funding sources needed for the project.

Delaware Department of Transportation Project Manager Paul Moser said June 18 the trail study will be paid for with contributions from Sussex Cyclists; Sussex County Land Trust; Rep. Alonna  Berry, D-Milton; Sen. Russ Huxtable, D-Milton; and Dogfish Head Brewery.

A consultant is expected to begin work soon and an update for the public will probably be given in the fall or winter, Moser said 

The additional $35,000 from the bicycle council will be used to study two culverts on Walker Road to determine if they are adequate for the trail project, he said. The trail route has not yet been finalized.