MILFORD, Del.- Drivers and pedestrians will need to adjust their routes as crews began work Monday morning on the Walnut Street Bridge upgrade project.
The project consists of raising the bridge deck to provide both a traffic calming feature as well as a handicapped accessible mid-block pedestrian crossing linking the riverwalk.
However, this project begins amid ongoing roadworks on Front Street, merely two blocks away, leading to some expressing frustration with the increasing number of detours.
Joseph Guerra voiced his annoyance, stating, "I really do hope they finish soon because stepping outside the barber shop and seeing all this traffic gets kind of annoying."
Marc Cleary, owner of Shock Vinyl, a Walnut Street business, apprehends potential repercussions on his store.
"I fear business will drop off drastically because people will not be able to negotiate going through downtown," he said.
Questioning the timing of the project, Cleary suggested conducting the work during nighttime hours, "If they did this maybe at night in the middle of the night they could get the project done quicker because they won't have the distractions of traffic going down the street."
City officials, however, noted the creation of a walkway through the construction zone to support Walnut Street businesses. Nonetheless, Cleary remains skeptical about the efficacy of this measure and plans to offer discounts in a bid to offset potential losses, humorously suggesting, "A construction sale!"
Navigating through Milford's roadwork, the city anticipates the first phase of the project, necessitating the closure of the bridge to traffic, to last approximately 45 days, with an expected completion date around May 15.
