Lewes Scenic Byway Committee to meet May 24

The Lewes Byway Committee has announced there will be two important meetings on a project important to the byway and to all residents, businesses and visitors to Lewes The Lewes Byway Committee meeting will be held Wednesday May 24, at City Hall. The Lewes City Council meeting will be held Thursday, May 25, at City Hall.

At the first meeting, Jim Klein, author of the Lewes Byway Corridor Management Plan, will be TAP project guest speaker to help understand the project elements. He will describe why the project is integral to the byway and why each element of the plan is important to the success of the project. He will address frequently asked questions, project benefits, alternative designs and how they can reduce traffic congestion, improve water quality runoff and enhance the streetscape on Savannah Rd and American Legion Drive.

Lewes City Council is scheduled to vote on authorizing to move forward with the TAP project design for Phase 1 at a cost of $20,000 to the city (20 percent match). DelDOT will pay 80 percent for all project/design costs. The design phase will take about one year to complete. (Phase 1 is from the Savannah Road Bridge to American Legion Drive.)

Changes can be made during design to address safety issues, landscaping choices, swale materials, crosswalk treatments, the overlook, etc. Decisions can be made during the design process on what elements to include or take out of the project.

For the past two years, the Byway Committee has worked with DelDOT to develop an improvement to Savannah Road between Front Street and Lewes Beach. The Savannah Road Pedestrian and Safety Streetscape Enhancement Project is designed to improve Savannah Road between Front Street and the Beach by adding safe bike pedestrian paths, landscaping, brick crosswalks at intersections, benches, ADA compliant sidewalks, a bio-swale to improve water quality of runoff going into the marsh and a landscaped pocket park/rest area with shade trees on the corner of American Legion Road.

Interpretive panels are included at this site to add an environmental education component to the project. They will be used to educate the public on the value of wetland protection and preservation, water treatment to improve water quality of the marsh and sea level rise. An overlook is included as an educational platform and viewing area to highlight environmental features of the marsh.

Go to www.deldot.gov/information/projects/bike_and_ped/SavannahRd/workshop.shtml. Call Gail Van Gilder at 302-540-2433.