BETHANY BEACH, Del. - The paving on Collins Street is causing significant concerns among local residents. Neighbors Casey Jewel and Marilyn Hansen, who live right next to the construction, are particularly affected by the noise.
"The noise is ridiculous. The amount of noise," said Jewel and Hansen.
The controversial pathway on Collins Street has begun the paving phase and is undergoing final touches. Despite the progress, discontent remains high among locals.
The main reason for the construction is to keep pedestrians from walking in the middle of Collins Street. The road is being widened and will feature painted lines specifically for walking and biking.
Despite the residents' frustration with the noise, Jennifer Myers, who has helped with the construction, stated there is little that can be done about it.
"A lot of people don't know what really goes into it. These guys work hard. The dump trucks are in and out, constantly dropping the hot mix for the blacktop for the road. There's a lot of planning that goes into this, it's not just dumping concrete and rolling it out," Myers explained.
While the additional space for walking is seen as beneficial, some locals worry it might bring more traffic to the area. Jewel believes traffic is already a significant issue, especially on busy days like the Fourth of July.
"Traffic on big days like the Fourth of July is terrible, and I'm out there walking the dog," Jewel said.
Although many homeowners believe the paving wasn't necessary on Collins Street, they now hope that the construction noise will finally come to an end.