DOVER, DE- Dover city leaders have finalized a list of priority transportation projects for the coming year, covering a range of initiatives from economic development to roadway safety and capacity. The list includes both projects carried over from previous years and newly proposed initiatives.
On November 25, the Safety Advisory and Transportation Committee signed off on the list, which will next go before the full City Council.
If approved, the projects will be considered for funding by the Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Delaware Department of Transportation, the agencies that ultimately decide which projects move forward.
The list includes 16 projects divided into four categories: economic development, transportation safety, system efficiency, and capital transformation. City staff said the projects are ranked within each category based on priority.
Two of the top priorities are improvements to College Road and the long-planned Garrison Connector, which would create a direct link between the Garrison Oak Business Park and Route 1.
At the Garrison Oak Business and Technology Park, development is underway, but Dover City Manager Dave Hugg said one issue has slowed growth.
"One of the reasons that Garrison has been kind of slow to develop over the years is the access — while you can see it from Route 1 — you can't get there from Route 1."
As the park begins to take shape, Linda Parkowski, with the Kent Economic Partnership, said the location is a major advantage.
"To have an industrial park that's so close to Route 13. And Route One is another real benefit for our area. Now, the issue with Garrison Oak was that there was never a direct connector to Route One."
As part of the city's annual transportation project priority list, Hugg said the Garrison Connector has consistently ranked at the top and remains this year's leading project as the city finally moves to resolve the access barrier.
"Our planning has been to ultimately connect the Garrison to Business Park to the Route Eight interchange."
While this project has appeared on the list for years, Parkowski says it is a crucial step for bringing economic growth to the area and fully realizing the business park's potential.
"An industrial park the size of Garrison, you could bring up to 4,000 good-paying jobs. There is a real benefit to make sure that it is as attractive as possible to someone looking, putting their business there."
Also on the priority project list are improvements to College Road, which Hugg says aim to address safety concerns.
"It's a very narrow road. There are no sidewalks along it. There are no dedicated turn lanes, things of that nature."
City leaders say College Road improvements — including new sidewalks, shoulders, drainage, and repaving — are a high priority for the key east-west connector, which is part of the High Injury Network and addresses safety for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Design is set for FY2025, with right-of-way acquisition in FY2025–26 and construction in FY2027, though funding is not yet programmed.
Other projects on the list include new sidewalks near Dover High School to close gaps along Mifflin Road, Route 8, and surrounding streets; a study of the McKee and Saulsbury Road corridor to address traffic capacity and safety; and improvements at the Loockerman Street and Forest Avenue intersection to boost traffic flow, pedestrian safety, and support downtown redevelopment.
The list is set to go before the full City Council on December 8. After that, it will move to the Dover/Kent County MPO and DelDOT, the agencies that ultimately determine which projects receive funding.