LEWES, Del.- The New Road Bridge over the Canary Creek is reaching its time for repairs but the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has bigger plans than that.
The bridge is currently made of timber which in a saltwater environment does not last as long, which is why the agency is in the position to replace it.
"That timber is reaching the end of its life span and we’re also seeing more frequent flooding occurring in the area of that bridge and what DelDOT is planning is to actually replace the bridge with a new structure and one that is also raised," Community Relations Director C.R. McLeod said.
The bridge will be raised over storm elevation and retaining walls will be put in on both sides to lower flood risk for nearby homes.
People who bring their dogs to the Lewes Unleashed Dog Park have mixed reviews about the project. Some say the bridge being raised would be a long-term benefit while others are thinking about the traffic headache the problem could cause.
"I think it’s going to be a good idea if it floods out but how often does it really flood out," Ralph Iervolino of Lewes said. "Two or three times a year maybe. Then you know if there’s a bad storm the water ends up receding anyway. Seems like it’s going to be a big inconvenience for people to shut that bridge down."
"You don’t believe how many complaints we get," Charlie Pisano of Lewes said. "People getting here late saying aw man I was on New Road and can't handle that construction so it’s going to be a big issue."
This project is going to close New Road entirely. DelDOT says the current timeline is to start in Fall of 2023 to be finished by Spring of 2024.
Work is currently happening on New Road that is causing slow down times for drivers, but an even bigger detour will be coming once the bridge work begins.