Rehoboth Avenue paving project is back on after four delays

Rehoboth Beach officials have announced that the four-times-delayed Rehoboth Avenue repaving project is on again.

Delaware Department of Transportation has now informed the city that it will undertake milling and paving this fall, following the annual Sea Witch Festival, according to an Oct. 15 city-issued press release.

The DelDOT contractor, A-Del, began performing curbing and concrete work on medians along Rehoboth Avenue in early October. Pedestrian connections will also be upgraded.

The city said A-Del will pause work for the Sea Witch Festival, which will take place Friday to Sunday, Oct. 25 to 27, and then begin the milling and paving work soon after that.

City Manager Taylour Tedder said the city is working diligently with DelDOT and A-Del to minimize disruptions as much as possible.

“We hope that everyone keeps in mind that the final result will be a smoother, enhanced main thoroughfare through town,” he said in a prepared statement.

DelDOT has confirmed the project is back on.

C.R. McLeod, DelDOT spokesperson, said DelDOT used the pause to evaluate the current expenditures on all of its projects and determined there is sufficient funding in the budget to move forward.

“We apologize for the confusion and look forward to completing this project,” said McLeod in an email Oct. 16.

According to the city press release, work is planned to be done overnight, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The start of this project has been delayed four times. It was originally slated for last fall, but got delayed to this fall to account for new Americans with Disabilities Act design standards. As this fall neared, the city announced the work would begin Sept. 15. Then it got pushed to the beginning of October while the contractor finished up a project on Shuttle Road outside Rehoboth. The day before the paving portion of the project was slated to begin, the city announced DelDOT was postponing it to the coming spring season or possibly fall, because of budget issues.

DelDOT will oversee the entire project, which runs from the Boardwalk to just east of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal drawbridge. The city is responsible for paying costs to pave the section of Rehoboth Avenue from the Boardwalk to Second Street.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with confirmation from DelDOT that the project is back on.