Cape May Lewes Ferry

LEWES Del. – The Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) Commissioners have approved the agency's 2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and unveiled a comprehensive Five-Year Strategic Plan aimed at enhancing airports and crossing facilities across the region. In the plan include major improvements to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. 

One of the key components of the 2024 CIP is the Annual Vessel Maintenance & Dry Docking project for the Cape May Lewes Ferry. The planned projects include shipyard dry dockings, the acquisition of life-saving equipment, seating replacements, system efficiency upgrades, generator overhauls, and various other improvements. The estimated cost for this project in 2024 is $3,305,000, with a long-term budget of $43,913,000.

Another significant undertaking within the 2024 CIP is the New Vessel Design & Construction project for the Cape May Lewes Ferry fleet. This project encompasses the entire process of designing and constructing new vessels to replace the existing ones. The estimated cost for this project in 2024 is $2,000,000, with a total projected cost of $107,130,000. It is expected that federal assistance will partially fund this project.

The 2024 CIP also includes the Fender Replacements project for the Cape May Lewes Ferry terminals. High-strength fiberglass fender panels, installed during the late 1990s to withstand vessel impacts along the bulkhead, have reached the end of their service life. They will be replaced with steel panels of similar shape and size. The estimated cost for this project in 2024 is $874,000, with an additional $936,000 allocated for future years.

DRBA is also implementing major improvements to the Delaware Memorial Bridge in New Castle County, as well as demolishing a hotel next to the Wilmington Airport to provide more parking.

With a total budget of $132.7 million, the 2024 CIP combines $116.7 million in Authority resources with nearly $16 million in federal, state, and local grant funding.

For more information about the Delaware River and Bay Authority and its 2024 Capital Improvement Program, please visit DRBA's official website.

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Evening Broadcast Journalist

Madeleine Overturf has been with Draper Media since 2016, when she first served as Sussex County Bureau Chief. She helped launch the rebranded CoastTV in 2019 and now co-anchors CoastTV News at 5 and 6.

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