REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - DelDOT is prepping to pave a smoother and safer path for bicyclists in the Nation's Summer Capital. The agency says it has seen an increasing number of bicyclists on its trails and that the project will create a safer transition for those coming and leaving the city on the Junction Breakwater Trail. DelDOT will create a two-way bike lane with a buffer from the trail head to the traffic circle on Rehoboth Avenue. From the avenue, the bike lane will run past Church Street, extend down Canal Crossing Road and turn onto Hebron Road, where it will continue until it meets the trail head. Ginny Hitz uses the trail almost everyday. "We as cyclists are very excited to see the continuation of the hookup of the Junction Breakwater Trail to the Gordons Pond Trail, making it safer for cyclists and runners to travel around town safely and the vehicle load will be much less," Hitz says. "The vehicle load will be much less in town once this is complete and we can travel safely with alternate transportation." DelDOT Community Relations Director C.R. McLeod says this construction is a piece to the puzzle that will eventually complete the nearly twenty year project. "It's not just about leisure," McLeod says. "We're seeing people use our bike trails to get around instead of using their cars and that's something we're trying to incorporate and make sure that we have got a multi-mobile transportation system." The project aims to keep bicyclists safer by keeping them separate from cars. "Near the trail head, there was a piece of property there where there is no trail and we were able to acquire that and that's where we'll see that trail going there to provide a transition form the trail head to the road network," McLeod says. "It's a positive end to something that needs to be corrected," says Ron Fedora. Even though Fedora will see and drive through construction outside of his Hebron Road home, he says the project is long overdue. "We're very fortunate that there wasn't a fatality here, but the traffic in the summer, the tourists, the pedestrians, the bikers, it's just so congested," Fedora says. "With the motor traffic, it's not desirable." DelDOT"s $500,000 project is set to alleviate that congestion in time for Memorial Day. Construction is set to begin on Monday, March 8th. DelDOT will work from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on weekdays. The agency says drivers can expect lane and shoulder closures during the project.
DelDOT to Create Two Way Buffered Bike Lane from Junction Breakwater Trail to Rehoboth Avenue
