Hi fellow cyclists,

I attended the DelDOT Five Points Transportation Study Public Open House last week on June 11 at the Cape Henlopen High School.  It was part presentation and part informal Q&A sessions at 10 different stations where at least one representative was present at each station to explain the material and field questions. The four stations where I was most interested related to cycling were:

1.  SR 1 Low-Stress Bikeway Study
2.  Potential SR 1 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossing
3.  Lewes Bike Plan
4.  Sussex County Project Updates

Overall Five Points Transportation Study details:
https://www.deldotinteract.org/t6338

I’ll provide brief summaries of each of the four bicycle related topics here and also provide website links to find more information.  Additionally, DelDOT is asking for the public to provide feedback and inputs for two different topics, 
- the Potential SR 1 Crossing, and
- The Lewes Bike Plan.

The details are below.

1.  SR 1 Low-Stress Bikeway Study
This is a study of potential routes on the east and west sides of SR 1 from Lewes through Rehoboth Beach.  The most current information for this Low-Stress Bikeway Study can be found at:
https://publicinput.com/sr1bikewaystudy#tab-40726 

Informally, I was told that a meeting with the public on this topic is being considered for this fall, but it has not been formally scheduled.

2.  Potential SR 1 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossing
This is an outgrowth of the SR 1 Low-Stress Bikeway Study and is a proposal to construct an overhead bridge  crossing of SR 1 near the Lewes DART bus station.  Additional details and a short six (6) question survey regarding this project can be found at:
https://publicinput.com/sr1bikewaystudy#tab-40727

3.  Lewes Bike Plan
The City of Lewes and DelDOT have been working together for more than a year to develop an overall plan for bicycling in The City of Lewes. The result is a draft Lewes Bike Plan that is available to read at:
https://publicinput.com/Customer/File/Full/5891ac97-bfb2-459b-8565-235e59bbab9f

DelDOT and The City of Lewes are requesting feedback from the public via an online survey/comment form available at:
https://publicinput.com/lewesbikeplan#tab-44464

4. Sussex County Project Updates
Talking with the DelDOT representative at this station I learned that the change to the Kings Hwy/SR 1 Coastal Hwy intersection is no longer funded and the schedule for making this intersection safer is unclear, at best.  The project is no longer funded because the larger project of improving the Dartmouth Drive/SR 1 Coastal Hwy was too far ahead and the Kings Hwy/SR 1 design couldn’t be completed in time (very disappointing news.) I’ve started discussions with the Delaware Bicycle Council (DBC) and DelDOT about how to raise the profile of this project and get it funded. 

In closing, please help influence how DelDOT improves the cycling routes in the Five Points area by completing the two surveys:
- Potential SR 1 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossing 
https://publicinput.com/sr1bikewaystudy#tab-40727

- Lewes Bike Plan
https://publicinput.com/lewesbikeplan#tab-44464

Enjoy safe riding!

Bill

Another great day today. We had 14 volunteers but managed to finish in the same amount of time as we did in April with 22 volunteers!

I'm not sure if this was because we had less trash this time, if we were just more efficient, our trendy attire or, was it because we had our resident celebrity participating today (see list & photo below) ... Mr. Mahaney!!!

All kidding aside, thank you all again for taking the time out of your busy schedules to help make our community just a little better.

Nice job everyone!!!

Mike

Volunteers included: Coogan Cameron, John Eckenrode, John Hayes, Louis Hepp, Gilbert Hofheimer, Heidi Lerch, Pat Miller, Mike Savage, Terry Savage, Denny Shook, Fran Shook (not included in photo), David Wellborn, Randy  Kubetin and Stephen Mahaney.

Thanks Gail Seligson for sharing this on Facebook:

Representing Sussex Cyclists this weekend at the Eastern Tandem Rally in (very hilly!!) Gettysburg.

The intersection of Route 5, Shingle Point Road and Chestnut Street will be converted to an all-way stop. Click here to see the article.

Today’s Bicycle Safety Checkpoint with DelDot was held at the Lewes Library. Thanks to Jim Prettyman, Steve Klein, Steve Grandinali, John Kurpjuweit, Dennis Schwandtner, and Bill Latham, for volunteering, and of course John Fiori of DelDot for manning the important event. You can volunteer at any upcoming Checkpoint and register through the calendar or app.

Rehoboth Foodie's Breaking Chews featured our upcoming Wheels for Meals event on 6/22!  Check out our calendar for more info on this important event.

Are you interested in non-club area bicycle events?   If so, check out the list on our Area Rides page!  It's updated frequently.  Sussex Cyclists favorites are also on our Calender in orange.

From the Cape Gazette - May 26, 2024:

State transportation officials expect to have a groundbreaking in late 2024 to officially begin the last phases of the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail. It’s the most popular trail in Delaware.

Once a contract is awarded, there will be more details where work will take place and a timeline, said Charles McLeod, DelDOT’s director of community relations.

Work on the trail, which began in 2016, has been completed to the Fisher Road-Hudson Road intersection, with a spur from Fisher Road to Stephen Hudson Park, where the Sussex County Land Trust is creating a trailhead.

So far, seven phases of the 17-mile paved trail have been completed. Four remain: Fisher Road to Harbeson Road, 7,850 feet; Harbeson Road to Gravel Hill Road, 9,250 feet; Gravel Hill Road to Park Avenue near Georgetown, 8,600 feet; and Park Avenue to Airport Road, 6,200 feet, which totals nearly six miles.

The trail links to the six-mile Junction & Breakwater Trail to Rehoboth Beach, as well as the Cape Henlopen State Park trails.

One phase from the Georgetown Little League Park to Airport Road has been completed, which was the first phase built adjacent to a working railroad tracks. The last phases leading up to Georgetown will be constructed along the tracks, with a protective fence added between the trail and tracks.

The rails have been removed as far as Harbeson on the former railroad bed of the Delaware Central Railroad track. Rails and ties were removed in a $4 million project in 2018 when it was determined that the section of the Delaware Coast Line Railroad from Cool Spring to Lewes should be decommissioned, after DelDOT determined that the cost was too high to repair the damaged 100-year-old Lewes-Rehoboth Canal railroad swing bridge. That bridge has since been removed and is a static display managed by the Lewes Junction Railroad and Bridge Association.

View Article &  photos on Cape Gazette

40 riders from Sussex and Kent counties (31 were members of Sussex Cyclists) participated in the Legislative Bike to Dover (formerly known as the Legislator’s Ride) annual ride on May 22, 2024. Riding to Dover from three start locations (37 miles from Milton led by Mike Schultz, 24 miles from Milford and 4 miles from Wyoming led by Jim Wagner), they rode a combined round trip distance of approximately 2200 miles to demonstrate appreciation of existing and support for continued bicycle friendly legislation that encourages safe and enjoyable cycling in Delaware.

They met up with approximately 16 cyclists riding from Middletown led by state Senator David Sokola, who led the combined group of over 50 cyclists for the last mile into Legislative Mall where refreshments and a short program was held recognizing the combined efforts of cyclists, the Delaware Bicycle Council, DelDOT, the State Legislature and Governor’s office.

See photos below.

Posted on Facebook by Denny Shook:

Members of Sussex Cyclist took part in in the Delaware Legislators Ride today . This group left from Milton and met another group in Milford for the ride. It was a beautiful day for a ride.