SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. -- DelDOT has received more than one million dollars in federal dollars that will go towards the Georgetown-Lewes Trail, including a proposed pedestrian bridge project in Cool Spring.
DelDOT has reportedly received $1.4 million as part of a nearly $70 million federal package secured through Sen. Chris Coons’ office via the Senate Appropriations Committee. DelDOT says the section of the trail near Cool Spring switches sides across Route 9, an area with heavy vehicle traffic. Officials say the funding will be used in part to begin preliminary designs for a safer way for pedestrians and cyclists to cross.
We expect there to be a significant amount of pedestrians and bicyclists using the trail and crossing in this area, and an elevated crossing would be the safest way to separate pedestrians and bicyclists from vehicle traffic in this area," C.R. McLeod with DelDOT tells WBOC.
The project is in very early stages, and McLeod says there is no timeline yet for when preliminary designs would be completed.
"We currently do not have the project in our six-year capital transportation program, so additional details are still to be determined," McLeod said.
The possibility of a safer crossing has given frequent trail users hope. Melissa Cane, who often walks the trail, said the current crossing can be stressful.
"I think it's a fantastic idea. Anything to keep people off the roads, make the road flow better for cars," Cane said.
Another trail user, Emmy Wivel, said she also welcomes the proposed changes, noting that the area can feel unsafe.
"Anything you can add would help, because it gets kinda busy, and it's just kinda scary," Wivel said.
Wivel added that other parts of the trail can also be concerning and hopes the Cool Spring Road project is just the beginning of broader safety improvements, particularly as development continues in the area.
"There's so much building and stuff that, yeah, you kind of have to increase safety to go with all of the infrastructure."