More changes made to Route 1 crossovers

Among all the construction activities recently occurring on Route 1 between Milford and Lewes, the Delaware Department of Transportation has recently changed the traffic pattern at several median crossovers.

The work aims to reduce conflict points and improve safety for drivers.

Between Paynter Road south of the new Route 16 bridges and Prime Hook Road, DelDOT has converted four crossovers to be accessible only to emergency vehicles. At the intersection of Prime Hook Road and Sylvan Acres Road, Route 1 drivers may only make left turns and U-turns in the crossover, meaning anyone entering Route 1 from either road must turn right to find a place to U-turn. The same movements have been implemented at Deep Branch Road.

Crash statistics supported the changes, as 12 angle crashes have occurred at Prime Hook Road/Sylvan Acres Road since 2012, while 16 angle crashes have been reported at Deep Branch Road.

At Paynter Road, drivers may only do U-turns or turn from Route 1 southbound onto Paynter Road. Paynter Road drivers are no longer permitted to cross northbound lanes to the median to drive south.

One crossover remains open to provide U-turn opportunities for northbound traffic, but it will be closed once the Route 16 overpass project is fully complete.

Other changes recently occurred on the stretch between Cave Neck Road and Best Lane, just north of the Minos Conaway Road project that’s underway.

The crossover just south of Cave Neck Road has been converted into a U-turn only for southbound traffic. The crossover at Willow Creek Road has been eliminated, only accessible for emergency vehicles. DelDOT reports eight angle crashes have occurred at that intersection since 2012.

The crossover at Best Lane now only allows northbound traffic to turn onto Best Lane or do a U-turn to go southbound.

Additional changes to crossovers will occur as part of the Minos Conaway Road project and the future Cave Neck Road grade-separated intersection project.

These changes are in addition to alterations made last fall between Cave Neck Road and the Broadkill River bridge. Along with those changes, DelDOT further improved the intersection of Route 1, Hudson Road and Steamboat Landing Road, including concrete barriers in the median to direct traffic and an acceleration lane for Hudson Road drivers to merge onto Route 1 southbound.

Holland Glade Road light

The new traffic signal at Route 1 and Holland Glade Road has been installed, but it is not expected to be turned on until summer, McLeod said. The developer project will add accessibility to Holland Glade Road. When complete, motorists on Holland Glade Road will be able to cross the northbound lanes to drive south. Currently, they must drive north and make a U-turn to drive south. There will be left-turn, through and right-turn lanes on all four legs of the intersection. The new intersection will allow southbound Route 1 traffic to turn left onto Holland Glade Road, which will likely alleviate backups caused by motorists making U-turns at the intersection of Route 1 and Shuttle Road. 

Work has already occurred to add an entrance between IHOP and Tanger Outlets Bayside on the southbound side of Route 1, and other improvements on the eastern side between Tanger Outlets Seaside and Royal Farms. 

McLeod said the HAWK pedestrian light will be removed during construction, but a new crosswalk will be added as part of the project.