Fourth of July traffic in 1996
One thing all Cape Region residents have become accustomed to is traffic. With the continued growth of eastern Sussex County comes more traffic. And while the Delaware Department of Transportation is trying to catch up with many major road projects in progress or in the pipeline, there is only so much space to accommodate hundreds and thousands of cars, particularly in the summer.
This photograph from the Cape Gazette archives shows what the 1996 Fourth of July traffic looked like along Route 1 between Lewes and Rehoboth. The image is looking north just south of the Route 1 intersection with Munchy Branch Road and Miller Road. The clump of trees on the left is where Shell We Golf and the Sea Shell Shop are today.
The crossover for emergency vehicles in the median still remains today, as it is across from the entrance to Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company Station 2.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and building pages, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
