BETHANY BEACH, Del. - The Bethany Beach Town Council has responded to concerns from residents about the difficulty of safely accessing Route One from nearby communities such as Bethany Proper. "There's a whole community back there... that's their main access to Route One, so that was really a great suggestion, and we want to try to honor that. It'll help that," shared council members Mickey Hinman and Theresa Keil.
The planned improvement involves installing flashing beacons near Ashwood Street, a change that Eugene Muskus, a longtime homeowner near Route One, believes will significantly enhance safety before the summer tourist season begins. The new system will include a button pedestrians can press to activate bright lights, alerting drivers to their presence at crossings.
In addition to the Ashwood Street location, the Bethany Beach Council is considering expanding this safety feature to the north side of town. "That probably won't be this year. That might be next year, but we would then have two north of 26 and two south of 26 on Route One," council members noted, outlining a broader vision for pedestrian safety across Bethany Beach.
To fund these critical safety enhancements, Bethany Beach has allocated approximately $130,000 of town money. The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has assured the council that the flashing beacons near Ashwood Street will be completed this spring, marking a significant step forward in protecting the town's residents and visitors alike.