SEAFORD, DE – The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) held a public workshop last night to discuss the future of the century-old bridge on Old Furnace Road over the Nanticoke River in Seaford. The meeting also covered potential infrastructure changes at the adjacent intersection on Middleford and Old Furnace Road.
According to DelDOT, the project aims to address the deteriorating condition of the bridge and improve safety and mobility at the intersection, which is experiencing increasing congestion. They presented two concept plans last night: one involving the construction of a roundabout, and the other adding traffic signals, both plans would see the adjacent bridge being replaced.
Robert Davis, who lives at the intersection, says he constantly sees accidents and is looking forward to a change.
“All types of hours of the night, throughout the day, this is crazy. I feel like a stop light would do some kind of justice. If you put a stop light out here, I feel like it should slow down some of the accidents and keep traffic flowing.”
He also feels that it’s time for the bridge to go.
“It needs to go, it’s so small, two trucks can’t get on at one time - it’s impossible. In my opinion, that bridge should have been gone a long time ago - it can’t handle the traffic anymore.”
Nancy Drumbore owns and operatates Middleford Deli, located next to the intersection of Old Furnace Road and Middleford Road. Along with safety concerns and traffic backup, she fears that construction on this project could end her over 40 year business.
“I have employees I need to keep working, and it just wouldn’t be enough business. Economically, there’s no way I could survive with a one access route, which would be Middleford Road. If they close down Old Furnace, a lot of the key areas I serve are on the other side of the bridge, I just wouldn't have that.” said Drumbore.
She also worries about the broader impact on the community, and emergency response times.
"It scares me and I think it scares a lot of the community, because access will be denied for a long time. And the routes that they've addressed for everyone to go over aren't ready for that extra traffic, I can't see it." she added.
The plan is still in the very early, conceptual stages, with work not expected until 2028. DelDOT plans to hold more public workshops on the proposals in the future.