SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. --On Monday, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDot) presented a plan and timeline for the replacement of the Route 54 bridge in Fenwick Island.
According to DelDot, construction for the project will begin in Fall 2024. The construction will occur in phases with one half of the bridge being worked on at a time to keep traffic moving. According to DelDot's C.R. McLeod, the construction will mostly be done outside of the busy summer months.
"We aren't going to be closing the bridge," says McLeod. "We know that's an important east-west thoroughfare there. With the traffic lanes shifted, there's just not going to be enough room for pedestrians and bicyclists to be on the bridge safely, so we will have a separate structure built on to the side of the bridge temporarily."
However, some local business owners expressed concerns about the construction potentially impacting their businesses.
"If this goes on for years, it is going to be a serious problem for my clients, for myself, for my finances," says Stacey Wetzstein, owner of Zen Spa. "I might not have business any longer and that's not how I see my career ending."
Kenny Stevens, who manages Treasure Beach RV Park and Campground, shared similar sentiments.
"Lane closures on the existing bridge will turn traffic loose coming from the east and west, which will prevent my people from being able to turn in the park," says Stevens. "I'm afraid it will be a safety hazard."