LEWES, DE - Lewes is facing a significant six-month-long road closure as the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has commenced construction on a new intersection on Plantation Road. The closure, spanning from Shady Road to West of Salt Marsh Boulevard, will obstruct access to Route 9 until the expected completion date in May 2024.
The anticipated delays on the already busy road are met with frustration and skepticism by drivers. Leroy Peters, who lives right next to the closure, says it's already a headache,
“It’s not even noon and it’s backing up already, it’s just creating another problem," said Peters.
It was echoed by other local drivers:
“I come up here to see my fiance, and, while im coming through here I can’t get through. It’s a holdup. It’s gonna cause a crash, I almost already got in a crash earlier, it’s ridiculous," said a visiting driver.
And some who think the timetable is less than definite,
“How much longer of this, six months? Or six more years? I don’t know,” said another driver.
But some, like neighbor Jack Fuller, are looking forward to the intersection getting a revamp, he says it's a sign of the times in a growing Sussex County.
“Unfortunately the cornfields have given way to developments, and since that’s going to be the case, you can’t have these roads built for farms and farm equipment, you have to be able to have people get in those developments," said Fuller.
The road closure has prompted detour routes along Cedar Grove Road, Kendale Road, Dairy Farm Road, and Lewes-Georgetown Highway. However, for the next several months, commuters should brace for longer travel times as they seek alternative routes.
