FRANKFORD, Del. - A planned bridge rehabilitation project on Route 20 has sparked concern among the owners of Bennett Orchards, a seventh-generation farm known for it's pick-your-own peaches and blueberries.
Delaware’s Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has announced that the bridge near the farm will be closed for repairs from February 24 through mid-July. The project includes replacing steel strips and slabs, milling and overlaying the concrete deck, repairing the underside of the deck and substructure, and cleaning and painting the structural steel.
Delaware’s Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has announced that the bridge near the farm will be closed for repairs from February 24 through mid-July.
Hail Bennett expressed concern about the timing of the closure and its impact on local businesses and residents. “Farming is challenging enough. We deal with Mother Nature, we deal with diseases, impacts to our crop—a lot of things that are out of our control,” Bennett said. “This shouldn’t be something that we have to worry about.”
Bennett noted that the closure would not only disrupt access to their farm but also affect the broader community, including Indian River High School, which is just a mile away. He also pointed out that the designated detour routes traffic through a residential area in Frankford, which he believes is ill-equipped to handle increased summer congestion.
Bennett noted that the closure would not only disrupt access to their farm but also affect the broader community, including Indian River High School, which is just a mile away.
“This is going to be a major inconvenience and a major issue for their busing,” he said. “Other local businesses on this road are also going to be impacted. Those roads aren’t designed to handle that much summer beach traffic.”
Bennett is hopeful that DelDOT will reconsider the timeline of the project to lessen the impact on the community and businesses dependent on summer visitors. DelDOT has not indicated any plans to adjust the construction schedule at this time.