DEWEY BEACH, DE -- Town leaders in Dewey Beach approved funding for two flood mitigation projects at Friday's town council meeting. The projects hope to minimize flooding on two different roads in the town.
The council approved additional funding for a study on Van Dyke Avenue. Town manager Bill Zolper said they had already received $37,000 for the project in a grant from DNREC.
"The Hyatt hotel and condominiums have problems down there with the flooding, and the people that live on Van Dyke Avenue," Zolper said.
Zolper said the study will look into how to combat flooding on the road and how to remove sets of pipes that sit along the beach at the end of Van Dyke Avenue. Zolper said the pipes currently pose a risk to swimmers on the beach.
The town manager said the study will also examine the water quality that comes from those pipes that deposit into the nearby bays.
Town leaders also approved roughly $72,000 for a flood mitigation project on Jersey Street. Zolper said this is in addition to $52,000 town officials received in a grant from DelDOT.
"Jersey Street has no storm drains on it at all, neither on the first block nor the second block.And during rain, the water just seems to sit on the roads," Zolper said. "The property owners down there, itfloods their yards, and it also, when you have the water sitting on the blacktop that long, it destroys the blacktop."
Sheldon Roseman has lived on Jersey Street for thirteen years. Roseman said his portion of the street doesn't usually have problems, but that some of his neighbors struggle with the flooding.
"Our friend down the way has had an issue with the water entering their driveway," Roseman said. "At its worst, the water extends all the way across the street."
Dewey Beach's town manager told WBOC that he expects to Jersey Street flood mitigation project to begin in April. Weather permitting, Zolper said the project will take approximately 30 to 45 days.
According to Zolper, the study for Van Dyke Avenue is projected to take four months.