Study underway on Route 1 pedestrian bridges

DelDOT in process of determining location options for safer road crossings

There aren’t many pedestrian bridges in Delaware, and the only one in Sussex County is a private bridge over Route 24 linking both sides of the Baywood Greens property in Long Neck. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS

Ron MacArthur

May 7, 2021

Could there be pedestrian bridges over Route 1 in the Lewes-Reboboth Beach area?

During the April 26 Five Points Working Group virtual meeting, Jeff Riegner, a Delaware Department of Transportation consultant with Whitman, Requardt & Associates, said a study is underway to determine possible locations for pedestrian bridges.

The idea is one of 78 recommendations formulated by the working group.

He said the study, which got underway within the last few weeks, is not related to design, but any structure would fit in with the context of the area.

In addition, he said, DelDOT officials are also studying the possibility of a barrier between the northbound and southbound lanes of Route 1 in conjunction with pedestrian bridges. Riegner said research has shown that even with bridges, some pedestrians still choose to cross at ground level going across roadways. A barrier would prevent that.

Shante Hastings, DelDOT deputy secretary and chief engineer, said when locations are selected and cost estimates are provided, officials can start to seek funding.

Two other studies underway

Two other studies with impact on the Five Points area are underway. Officials are conducting a low-stress bikeway study to determine the feasibility of bike/pedestrian routes along the Route 1 corridor using existing streets, neighborhoods and business-access roads.

DelDOT and Sussex County officials are conducting a Coastal Corridor Study on the main east-west routes leading from the Maryland line to Route 1, including Route 16 and Route 404, along with connector roads such as Route 30.

Riegner said the study is precipitated on dualization of most of Route 404 in Maryland and the possibility of a third bridge span over the Chesapeake Bay.

“What can we do in Delaware?” he asked. “We need to look ahead.” He said during the spring and summer, DelDOT staff will collect data and begin modeling to forecast future traffic in the study area.

Update on road projects

Riegner said 47 of the working group's recommendations have either been completed, are in progress or are ongoing. Updates are available at deldot.gov/projects/Studies/fivepoints.

He said one of the proposed recommendations has been jump-started by four years. Design work has started on improvements, including a possible roundabout, at the Cave Neck Road-Hudson Road-Sweetbriar Road intersection near Milton. The project is the first under Sussex County's Funding Accelerating Safety in Transportation program. Under FAST, the county will provide up to $5 million to accelerate a project in DelDOT's capital transportation program based on several criteria including safety, development pressure and need. Design work had been scheduled to begin in 2025 on the project.

Riegner said DelDOT officials are working on a recommendation to upgrade all roads in the county's Henlopen Transportation Improvement District with 11-foot travel lanes and 5-foot shoulders. He said about half of the roads fall within the Five Points study area.

Other projects in Five Points area

Savannah Road sidewalks, construction in 2021; realignment of Old Orchard Road at Wescoats Road, construction 2022-24; Route 9, Kings Highway, Dartmouth Drive intersection improvements, design work 2022; new Canary Creek bridge on New Road, construction following completion of Wescoats Road work; Route 1-Route 16 grade-separated interchange, construction fall 2021-24; Route 1-Minos Conaway Road interchange, construction 2023-25; Route 1-Cave Neck Road grade-separated interchange, construction 2025-26; Plantation Road-Beaver Dam Road-Route 9 intersection realignment including a roundabout, construction 2022-23; Route 24 from Route 1 to Mulberry Knoll Road widening and intersection improvements, construction underway finishing in 2023.

Other information

• Go to 5points.deldot.gov for more information.

• Six new bus shelters have been installed in early 2021 along Route 1 with two more planned before the start of the summer season.

DelDOT plans two virtual workshops

DelDOT has scheduled two Five Points Transportation Study virtual workshops to provide updates on projects, progress made in 2021 and priorities for 2021. Both sessions will contain the same information.

Workshops are 6:30 p.m., Monday, May 17, and noon, Wednesday, May 19. Registration is required at 5points.deldot.gov. The 2020 annual report can be found on the website.

What will traffic be like during the summer season in the Cape Region? At least one DelDOT official said it could be historic.

On a recommendation from the Five Points Working Group, DelDOT is in the process of adding more bus stops along the Route 1 corridor. Six have been constructed recently with another two to be added before summer.