REHOBOTH BEACH, DE - The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has announced the ongoing Rehoboth Avenue paving project is being paused due to cold temperatures.
In a press release Friday, DelDOT said the announcement comes in coordingation with the City of Rehoboth Beach. The project will resume in early spring once temperatures rise, DelDOT said on December 6th.
The announcement comes less than a month after daytime paving commenced during the project. In October, DelDOT announced the project was temporarily halted due to budget concerns. That pause was later reversed.
DelDOT officials told WBOC that most of the paving has been completed from the Rehoboth Beach bandstand, down to the intersection at Second Street. According to those officials, any areas that were not completed will receive temporary striping next week.
Some business owners WBOC spoke with Friday are embracing the pause on paving during the busy holiday season.
Erin Cecil is a store lead at Charm City Run Club, which sits at the intersection of Rehoboth Avenue and Second Street. Cecil said the break will likely be good for business, as the limited parking in the city often becomes even more limited with road work.
"It's a challenge," Cecil said. "This is a busy time of year for us usually, so it's not ideal to have something stand in the way of business."
Further down Rehoboth Avenue is Mod Cottage, where owner Brad Holsinger told WBOC that it's a relief not to have to factor road work into the busy time of year.
"Right now we have so many people trying to do holiday shopping," Holsinger said. "It's a really busy time here up til New Year's Day. So I think it's great if there's just more parking. And with those big cones gone and that big equipment is gone, the town will be a little more festive."
Both Cecil and Holsinger said they hope the resumed road work next spring will finish before any summertime traffic.
"It would be a pretty big hiccup if it's happening around summer," Cecil said. "That's a pretty peak time for us."
"Oh I definitely hope it's done by Memorial Day," Holsinger said. "Cause it gets crazy again around here."
DelDOT did not specify a date in the spring when the project would resume, telling WBOC they will work with Rehoboth Beach city leaders to determine when work can start again as soon as temperatures are warm enough.
