REHOBOTH BEACH , DE - The Rehoboth Avenue drawbridge is scheduled for a fresh coat of paint later this year — its first since 1996 — Which is being done to prevent corrosion of the structure. But some business owners are worried the maintenance could further strain traffic after months of nearby construction.
The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announced plans to repaint the bridge between October and April, a timeframe that avoids peak summer traffic.
Officials say the bridge will remain open throughout the project, though some lane shifts may be required.
That reassurance hasn’t calmed nerves for business owners like Stephen Fallon of Gizmos Gadgets, who says construction over the past year has already taken a toll.
“Whoever is in charge of this doesn’t realize that the fourth quarter is our second busiest quarter,” Fallon said.
He added, “People have to be aggressive enough to come down here, will they say — ‘eh, the outlets are right there — I’ll just skip downtown.’ I don’t know — we won’t know that until after we’re crying on January first.”
Not all nearby retailers share the same level of concern. Farrah Barow, owner of Yesterday’s Fun, says she understands the frustration but accepts the necessity of the work.
“It’ll be more of a hassle later. Unfortunately road work is always necessary, and it’s always inconvenient, but I go for the necessary much more than the inconvenience of lane closures,” she said.
There will be a public meeting to go over the project on Monday, April 7th, at 5:00pm at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center (229 Rehoboth Avenue).
The session will cover the project timelines, why it is being done, and both marine traffic patterns and street traffic patterns.
