Five Points interchange work not in near future
Many of the questions from the public during a May 19 Five Points Working Group public workshop centered around when a project would begin at the Five Points intersection similar to three other planned interchanges with overpasses along Route 1 at Route 16, Minos Conaway Road and Cave Neck Road.
Shanté Hastings, Delaware Department of Transportation chief engineer, said the current priority is to get other road improvement projects complete that feed into or are near the Five Points intersection. DelDOT is proposing to spend $116 million over the next six years on projects in the Five Points area. “It's a long-term project with a high cost, which is impacted by other projects in the area,” she said.
Hastings said an overpass and grade-separated interchange at Five Points would cost from $50 million to $100 million and would impact numerous businesses. She said a project is more than 10 years out and would have to be included in a future six-year capital transportation program to even be considered.
“And it would take a lot of public input to make it happen,” added Andrew Bling, a DelDOT consultant with Kramer & Associates.
Jeff Riegner, a DelDOT consultant with Whitman, Requardt & Associates, said it's complicated to deliver long-term projects in growth areas like the beach resorts.
Jennifer Cinelli, DelDOT transportation planner, said in an effort to ease congestion and traffic issues, several large road improvement projects are underway or planned in the Five Points area. She said once the projects are completed, traffic flow will change and will have to be reevaluated regarding its impact on the Five Points intersection.
Those projects include a grade-separated interchange at the Route 1-Minos Conaway Road intersection (2023); a new Route 9-Beaver Dam Road-Plantation Road intersection with a roundabout (2022); improvements to Plantation Road (2021); and realignment and improvements at the Wescoats Road-Savannah Road-Old Orchard Road intersection, including a roundabout at the Wescoats Road-Marsh Road intersection (2022).
Work is ongoing to widen Route 24 south of Five Points with intersection improvements at the Plantation Road-Route 24 crossing.
Officials said some projects are interconnected. For example, Hastings said, the new Canary Creek bridge project on New Road, planned to start in 2024, can't begin until Old Orchard Road improvements are completed because New Road will be the detour route for the project.
DelDOT officials have also released the 2020 Five Points Transportation Study annual report.
Riegner said of the 78 recommendations adopted by the working group in 2018, 47 projects are complete or underway. A link to the report is available at deldot.gov/projects/Studies/fivepoints. Riegner encouraged residents to visit the website and complete a survey; the deadline is Wednesday, June 9.
The working group will meet virtually at 6 p.m., Monday, July 26, to hear and discuss updates to the study.
Work completed on recommendations in 2020
Curve warning signs on Minos Conaway Road
Route 1-Cave Neck Road crossover improvements
Static and variable message signs along Route 1 between Dover and Milford showing distances and times to reach beach destinations
New traffic signal at Kings Highway-Clay Road intersection
Installation of speed reduction pavement markings on southbound Route 1 approaching Nassau Bridge
Lengthening of acceleration lane from Minos Conaway Road onto southbound Route 1
Extension of Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail
Construction starting in 2021-22
Savannah Road sidewalks
Munchy Branch Road shared-use path
Kings Highway crosswalk at Gills Neck Road/Cape Henlopen High School
Realignment of Old Orchard Road at Wescoats Corner
Route 24 improvements, Love Creek to Mulberry Knoll Road
Plantation Road improvements, Robinsonville Road to Route 9
Projects added to 2021-26 CTP in Five Points area: Route 9-Minos Conaway Road intersection improvements; improvements at Cave Neck Road-Hudson Road-Sweetbriar Road intersection; widening of Beaver Dam Road from Route 1 to Dairy Farm Road; Old Landing Road-Airport Road intersection improvements and Airport Road extension; Old Landing Road-Warrington Road intersection improvements; New Road improvements from Nassau Road to Old Orchard Road.
Study priorities for 2021: Possible locations for pedestrian bridge crossovers along Route 1 and feasibility of Route 1 median barrier to deter pedestrian crossings; feasibility of a park and ride on Route 24 at edge of study area; identify locations to safely plant trees within rights of way; develop better process for constituents to request transportation improvements; feasibility of connections for walking and bicycling between existing neighborhoods, along streets and to trails.
