Lewes unveils streetscape designs

The City of Lewes unveiled options for the Burton Subdivision streetscape during a public workshop held April 7. It was the first time many of the neighborhood’s property owners got to see the plans.

The new streetscape will be built after the Lewes Board of Public Works completes a major project to replace the 100-year-old pipes under all of the subdivision’s streets: Burton, Paynter, DuPont, Park and Johnson avenues and West Fourth Street. 

Residents have demanded action after living with brown water coming from their faucets for decades.

Construction is expected to begin this fall and run through 2028. Engineers from George, Miles & Buhr said the order in which streets get done will be up to the contractor.

The streetscape will include paved streets, new sidewalks and planting strips, and trees to replace those removed during the project.

“The goal is that the streets in the Burton neighborhood have a consistent and cohesive look and feel,” said Ellen Lorraine McCabe, Lewes city manager.

The pipes will be placed in two phases: Phase one is West Fourth Street from Savannah Road to Burton Avenue, including Park Avenue. Phase two will be Johnson Avenue from Park Avenue to DuPont Avenue.

Two of the streetscape options turn Johnson Avenue and Park Avenue into one-way streets from DuPont, around the curve at the corner of George H.P. Smith Park, and add marked parking spaces. A third option keeps the streets and parking the same as they are now.

Some neighbors said the one-way streets would have a negative impact, since DuPont has become a thoroughfare where cars drive 30-40 mph, and making it the only way in and out of that part of the neighborhood would make the problem worse.

Engineers said measures like bike sharrows and an improved crosswalk near the curve will improve safety.

On the other hand, some residents said they have not noticed safety issues, so the priority should be aesthetics.

“Is it necessary to have all this painting and marking of an historic town to make it look like a downtown city? I understand the infrastructure is crumbling, and we need to repair this, but is there a problem with parking or people getting run over by cars?” asked Lisa Decker, who lives on West Fourth Street.

Other residents expressed concern over the plan to narrow West Fourth Street. They said the street has become like the Indianapolis 500 due to speeding drivers.

Residents said the city should consider lowering the speed limit from 25 mph, but city engineer Andrew Lyons said having two 11-foot-wide travel lanes is enough for a 25 mph limit.

The city cannot add speed bumps or other traffic-calming measures to West Fourth Street because it is an emergency route to Beebe Healthcare.

Engineers also said sidewalks will be added to one side of the streets that currently do not have any.

Elaine Simmerman, who has lived on West Fourth Street for more than 30 years, said the city should consider the charm of the neighborhoods.

“We don’t like sidewalks; we like walking in the streets. There is no safety or parking problem. We’re an old, colonial town where everybody walks by our house,” Simmerman said.

Residents at the workshop were asked to submit their preferences for the streetscape options. Mayor and council will discuss and possibly vote on streetscape options at their regular meeting Monday, April 13. 

Some residents said that does not give them enough time to choose.

Engineers said the pipe replacement project will cause minimal disruption in water service. They noted that the streetscape work will cause some disruption in parking.

Kerry Tripp lives on Park Avenue. She is the co-chair of the Burton Clean Water Coalition, a group of residents that has been working with the city and BPW to get clean water for the neighborhood.

Tripp said residents should not lose sight of the end goal.

“We support the mayor and council and the Board of Public Works; they’ve agreed with us that it’s time. The city is doing right by us; they work with us. We need to keep it going in the same spirit we’ve been, which is that clean water is our goal and how do we make our neighborhoods beautiful?” Tripp said.

BPW recently received an additional $6.6 million grant from the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council that will allow it to complete phase two of the project, which includes Burton Avenue, Paynter Avenue, DuPont Avenue and the rest of Johnson Avenue.

The streetscape options are available at ci.lewes.de.us.