BETHANY BEACH, Del. - Bethany Beach Town Council members said crossing Delaware Route 26 is unsafe for pedestrians as they approved funding Monday for pedestrian-safety improvements at two locations in town.
During a special meeting, the council approved two contracts with the Delaware Department of Transportation totaling $457,522.18. The projects include safety upgrades at the intersections of Kent Avenue and Garfield Parkway and Route 26 and Treetop Lane.
Town officials said $183,000 will be used for improvements at Kent Avenue and Garfield Parkway, while $274,000 is allocated for the Route 26 and Treetop Lane project. Officials said the town is paying for the improvements and that the costs are already included in the town’s budget.
Council members said crossing Route 26 is especially dangerous during periods of heavy traffic, including the summer tourist season, when pedestrian and vehicle volumes increase significantly.
“You got a lot of cars crossing, and it needs to be a little more controlled for pedestrians getting across,” Mayor Ron Calef said. “It’s extremely difficult. I’m a bike rider, and getting across 26 is a challenge at best. I’ve done a lot of rushing across to get across, because that’s what you have to do.”
The Route 26 and Treetop Lane project will remove the existing crosswalks and replace them with pedestrian refuge islands in the roadway, allowing walkers and cyclists to cross traffic in stages. New signage will also be installed to improve visibility and alert drivers to pedestrian activity.
At the Kent Avenue and Garfield Parkway intersection, improvements will include upgraded traffic signals with pedestrian walk signals, countdown timers, and push-button controls.
Local Patrick Sheplee said the improvements will benefit both residents and visitors. “I think it will be helpful and safer for people that are parking over on the south side and walking to the north side of 26, or vice versa,” Sheplee said. “I’m hopeful that it will be done before the summer season. It needs to be for the crowd to come up here, and I’m optimistic that it will. It’s not a major project for DelDOT.”
Bethany Beach’s town manager said construction on both projects is expected to be completed before the summer 2026 season.
