DOVER, Del.- $12 million in grant money is expected to go a long way for bike and pedestrian safety in the city.
The intersection of Bay Road and South DuPont Highway, where Evalene Pyle tragically died in a 2022 bicycle accident, is set to become safer thanks to the money awarded to the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT).
James Wilson, the executive director of Bike Delaware, emphasized the importance of the project. "The goal here is to make sure that we don't have another tragedy like Evalene Pyle," he said.
Route 13, known for its busy commercial scene, forces many people without cars to cross in dangerous areas. With high speed limits, accidents often have deadly consequences. Wilson pointed out the need to prevent mid-block crossings, a common hazard for pedestrians and cyclists.
The grant will fund significant improvements, including moving curbs to create wider and completely separate bike and walking paths. Other enhancements will include shared-use paths, crosswalks, curb ramps, and median fencing. Key focus areas are South Little Creek Road from Horsepond Road to Bay Road, and the intersections of Route 13, Bay Road, and MLK Boulevard.
Local cyclists welcome the changes. "It is very hard to get around here in Dover if you don't have a car," said Leon of Dover. "If you have to walk or take a bike, it’d be one less thing to worry about how you are going to maneuver through traffic without getting hit."
Wilson hopes the project will also encourage more people to bike. "All kinds of folks towards the lower end of the income scale who own a car now, it would be enormously financially beneficial to them if they didn’t have to own a car," he said. "And the way we make that possible for an increasing number of people is to build infrastructure just like this."
The funding comes from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant.