INDIAN RIVER INLET, Del. - To help respond more quickly to coastal flooding along Route 1, the Delaware Department of Transportation has installed four new weather-monitoring stations designed to detect rising water in real time. The devices track conditions around the clock and helps officials know when water begins to cover the roadway.
Flooding has long been a problem for residents in the area. Jane Rahsman, who has lived near the coast since 2005, remembers one day when she passed road crews minutes before Route 1 was shut down—only to find herself driving into high water.
“It also can be very scary when the water starts coming up,” Rahsman said. She recalls seeing water pour over the roadway and surrounding back bays.
They contain sensors that capture temperature, flooding indicators and other detailed weather information.
According to DelDOT, three of the devices are positioned along Route 1, with another placed on River Road in Oak Orchard, providing real-time data on water levels and roadway conditions.
DelDOT spokesperson C.R. McLeod said the monitors differ from ordinary traffic cameras because they contain sensors that capture temperature, flooding indicators and other detailed weather information.
“These are different from our regular traffic cameras… these actually have sensors in them as well,” McLeod said. “We’re able to see everything from temperature to identifying water on the roadway. And that’s giving us really good information.”
Rahsman believes the investment is worth it. “Anything they can do to alert people earlier would be better,” she said.
McLeod said each device costs about $2,500. Rahsman believes the investment is worth it. “Anything they can do to alert people earlier would be better,” she said.
According to McLeod, DelDOT may add more monitors along the coast but will first evaluate how the current stations perform.