DEWEY BEACH, Del.- Currently, medians in Dewey Beach are cement and free for people to walk over. On some streets intersecting Route 1, that is going to change over the next several months.
DelDOT Community Relations Director C.R. McLeod says rope barriers are going to be installed from Saulsbury Street to Read Avenue to make it less possible for people to stand there when crossing the street.
"Wood posts and there's this like thick nautical rope that actually goes across it so we're basically trying to make it appear that this is not an area where you want to cross," McLeod said. "So we are going to be adding some landscaping that the town will maintain going forward."
Pedestrian and bicyclist safety is a huge priority for Dewey Beach. Town Manager Bill Zolper says that with the thousands of people that visit here each year these additions are needed in the median.
"Dewey Beach in the summer swells over 30,000 people in a mile by two blocks," Zolper said. "When you have that many people and you have people going to restaurants and night clubs and bars here they just want to get across the street as quickly as possible."
The project costs $400,000 and money is being provided by the town, DelDOT, and CTF money from Representative Pete Schwartzkopf. Also, more lighting will be put in from Houston Street to Bayard Avenue.
"It'll make sure that pedestrians can see vehicles as their approaching and attempting to cross and then motorists can see there's a lot of activity happening down there," McLeod said.
Work has not started yet but when it does, drivers can expect lane closures Mondays through Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The work is expected to be completed by April.