DelDOT's Nassau proposal should be pursued

DelDOT surveyors and engineers are working on developing an exit from southbound Route 1 to carry traffic headed for New Road beneath the Nassau overpass. They are responding to the safety issue of cars having to pull into the median crossover just west of the overpass to get to New Road. The underpass idea has been discussed for several years.

The visibility issue caused by northbound traffic coming over the overpass at 60 mph further amplifies the danger of this at-grade crossing.

The issue of cars and trucks pulling boats on trailers across that median as drivers make their way to the new launching ramp in Lewes via New Road adds still greater urgency to the proposal.

In a perfect world with plenty of money to go around, taking another year or two to think about this in the context of New Road and its limitations, and consider a larger planning initiative might make sense. But that’s not the case.

DelDOT is responding to a clearly identified safety issue and has allocated funds for engineering and execution over the next few years. There is not plenty of money, and our legislators have shown no stomach for increasing taxes. This project deserves public support so already-allocated funds will stay in place and not be shifted elsewhere in the state, leaving us with nothing.

This is not to say we shouldn’t also be taking a look at improvements that could be made to New Road to make it safer for drivers and cyclists. Though there may not be enough money to purchase rights-of-way and construct shoulders the whole length of the road, there may be opportunities - as has been the case with some developments along New Road - to add sections of turning lanes and shoulders. Every little bit of improvement helps.

In the meantime, DelDOT - so often the whipping boy for all of our ills - and local legislators promoting the project deserve thanks in this case for allocating limited resources to find a practical solution to the Route 1/New Road connection problem.