Melissa Nann Burke

The News Journal

As promised earlier this year, dozens of area road, bridge and safety projects are delayed due to cuts to the state Department of Transportation's budget.

Officials are reshuffling transportation dollars to cover essential programs and critical infrastructure work. Among the prominent projects delayed are the new Christina River Bridge connecting U.S. 13 to the Wilmington Riverfront; upgrades to the Newark and Claymont train stations; the Little Heaven interchange on Del. 1; and a half dozen intersection-safety improvements along U.S. 113 in Sussex County.

DelDOT said months ago these and other projects would be endangered under a reduced capital budget.

Lawmakers last month cut DelDOT's capital spending to $155 million – down from $192 million last fiscal year. The General Assembly snubbed Gov. Jack Markell's proposed gas-tax increase, taking $40 million that would have funded road and bridge work to plug shortfalls in the General Fund.

Revenue from a late-session deal to hike weekend tolls on Del. 1 and to borrow $20 million more a year won't go for new construction. Roughly $2 million is funding municipal street improvements, and $28 million for the state's paving program.

"Because of transportation funding shortfalls in the region, preserving existing infrastructure and addressing safety is our highest priority," said Tigist Zegeye, director of the Wilmington Area Planning Council(WILMAPCO), which prioritizes and tracks spending on federally funded transportation projects in New Castle and Cecil counties.

Zegeye noted that roughly 40 percent of funding planned in the next four years supports projects to preserve existing infrastructure, as opposed to new construction.

Due to the decrease in state funds, the projects in New Castle County losing funding include:

• Safety improvements at Possum Park and Old Possum Park roads near Newark.

• Upgrades to enhance traffic flow and pedestrian safety along Fourth and Walnut streets in Wilmington.

• Reconstruction of the congested Tyler McConnell Bridge along Del. 141.

• Expanded parking at the Fairplay Station at Churchmans Crossing, according to WILMAPCO.

Notably, transit officials last month contracted with Delaware Park to use an outlying lot to accommodate the spike in SEPTA rail commuters at Fairplay since the shutdown of the I-495 bridge in Wilmington.

DelDOT also stripped $1.6 million in construction funds for a wall to screen the sights and sounds of I-95 from the Cavalier condominiums next to the Christiana Mall. DelDOT promised the wall nearly two years ago after the community lost their buffer of trees and shrubs during construction of the I-95/Del. 1 interchange.

"We're more than disappointed. We feel we've been strung along this whole time," resident Frank Parker said Wednesday.

"The noise levels are way louder than they were before. We're looking at Mack trucks and the rest of it going up the flyover ramp. We now can't even have a conversation in our front yard."

Other delayed projects include plans for a Wilmington transit hub to reduce crowding and facilitate bus transfers at Rodney Square; realignment of historic New Castle intersections to reduce cut-through traffic and improve pedestrian access across Del. 9; and the resurfacing of the concrete pavement on Del. 9 between Third and Heald streets.

Construction funds were stripped for the widening of Del. 72 between McCoy Road and Del. 71; the widening of Del. 1 from the Roth Bridge to Del. 273; and a contribution to the rehabilitation of westbound I-295, according to WILMAPCO. The I-295 project could still go ahead, as it will be overseen by the Delaware River & Bay Authority.

"The expressway projects tended to keep their construction money for the most part, except for Route 1 and 295," said Heather Dunigan, a planner for WILMAPCO.

"It wasn't unexpected, given that very little in the way of new revenue measures passed. We're disappointed, but not surprised. Of course, the fate of the federal transportation trust fund is another unknown."

DelDOT is anticipating $325 million in federal reimbursements for road and transit projects, but that assumes Congress acts soon on a stopgap transportation spending bill.

In Kent County, the construction schedule is unchanged for the Del. 1/Thompsonville Road interchange, according to the Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The West Dover Connector is also expected to go out for bids soon. DelDOT is waiting to finalize an agreement with Norfolk Southern Corp. regarding the construction of two bridges over railroad tracks as part of the byway, said Bob Perrine, railroad program manager for DelDOT.

Delayed projects include the $70.4 million Del. 1/Little Heaven intersection (pushed back a year to 2016); the Del. 10/15 roundabout (pushed back a year to 2017); and the Loockerman/Forest Street roundabout (pushed back two years to 2020), according to the Dover/Kent MPO.

Other projects are not funded at all, including the new Camden Bypass; improvements to Barretts Chapel and Canterbury roads; the Del. 8/Hazlettville Road Connector and the Garrison Oak Park Connector, according to the MPO.

A $4.6 million project to widen Kenton Road between Del. 8 and Chestnut Grove Road to add shoulders, bike lanes and sidewalks was bumped up a year, with construction to start in 2019.

Construction of the controversial $31.5 million interchange on Del. 1 in South Frederica is still set for 2017.

In Sussex County, DelDOT's budget constraints won't affect $7 million in safety upgrades to seven high-crash intersections along the U.S. 113 corridor in Millsboro and Ellendale. Construction bids were due Tuesday. Pedestrian improvements along Del. 1 are also expected to proceed.

"They're moving forward with a plan to implement nearly a dozen crosswalks and sidewalks," Sussex County spokesman Chip Guy said. "Another top priority was the airport runway extension."

Grant money will help extend the Sussex County Airport runway to 1,000 feet, allowing it to better accommodate large aircraft. DelDOT first needs to realign Park Avenue in Georgetown, but funds to begin engineering for that project are suspended until 2017. No money is committed for construction, said Earle Timpson of DelDOT's finance section.

In Sussex, Timpson said the agency is delaying projects to improve safety at these high-crash locations: U.S. 113 at Millsboro Towne Center/First Street; U.S. 113 at Alms House Road/Speedway Road; U.S. 9 at Del. 5; the Zoar, Speedway and Bethesda roads intersection; and U.S. 113 at Del. 16 in Ellendale.

Other delayed work includes the U.S. 9 and Airport Road realignment in Georgetown; the widening of Plantations Road from Del. 24 to U.S. 9; the widening of Del. 24; and a new Lewes Park & Ride and maintenance facility, Timpson said.

DelDOT has advanced the planned intersection improvements at Del. 24 at Long Neck Road northeast of Millsboro.

Contact Melissa Nann Burke at (302) 324-2329, mburke@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @nannburke.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

The Wilmington Area Planning Council's draft Transportation Improvement Program is available at www.wilmapco.org/tip or at WILMAPCO offices, 850 Library Avenue, Suite 100 Newark, DE 19703. Comments can be submitted in writing to the same address; by fax (302) 737-9584, or e-mail to wilmapco@wilmapco.org. Deadline is Aug. 21.

The Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization's draft Transportation Improvement Program will be posted atwww.doverkentmpo.org. Comments can be submitted by calling (302) 387-6026 or (302) 387-6030, or via email:kate.layton@doverkentmpo.org or doverkentmpo@gmail.com. Deadline is Aug. 22.

Getting the AX

Projects in New Castle County losing funding include:

• Safety improvements at Possum Park and Old Possum Park roads near Newark.

• Upgrades to enhance traffic flow and pedestrian safety along Fourth and Walnut streets in Wilmington.

• Reconstruction of the congested Tyler McConnell Bridge along Del. 141.

• Expanded parking at the Fairplay Station at Churchmans Crossing, according to WILMAPCO.