Posted by Denny Shook on our Sussex Cyclists Facebook Group:

By Nick Roth, Cape Gazette

April 17, 2026

After years of construction, both Route 1 bridges over Route 16 near Milton are open to traffic. 

The northbound span opened April 15, almost exactly a year after the southbound bridge opened April 21, 2025.

Work began on the project in 2022, with planning occurring over many years before that. The completion of the bridges means there are no longer any traffic signals between I-95 in New Castle County and Five Points outside Lewes. 

Altogether, 36 signalized intersections between I-95 and Five Points near Lewes have been removed since work began on the first section of the Route 13 Relief Route from Tybouts Corner to Churchmans Road in Christiana in July 1987.

The more than $40 million project is expected to be fully completed this summer.

Minos Conaway Road update

The work north of Five Points to build new roads, including a vehicular path under the Nassau Bridge, is making significant progress. According to DelDOT Director of Community Relations Charles “CR” McLeod, the intersection of Route 1 and Minos Conaway Road will close in May to allow for construction of a new roundabout just west of Route 1. 

Once Minos Conaway closes, it will remain closed through the end of the year. However, once the roundabout is completed this summer, southbound Route 1 traffic will be able to access Minos Conaway Road via the new connector road that will run parallel to Route 1 south to Janice Road at the foot of the Nassau Bridge. 

Traffic from Minos Conaway will not have access to Route 1, whether to go south or to cross over and travel north. The detour will take drivers west to Route 9.

“In anticipation of ‘Why are they doing this during the summer?’ - We don’t see a spike in traffic on this road in summer months,” said McLeod. “This being a local road, there isn’t a significant fluctuation in traffic volume numbers to warrant delaying the work until later in the year.”

In addition to the Minos Conaway Road roundabout, another roundabout is being constructed just west of the Nassau Bridge near the Lewes Senior Activity Center. 

Construction will continue on the road under the Nassau Bridge and all the work on the east side of Route 1, with opening planned for a later time. That work includes another roundabout at the intersection of Nassau Road, New Road and the new under-the-bridge connector road, as well as an access road running parallel to northbound Route 1 in front of businesses such as Meineke and Surfing Crab, among others.

Cave Neck Road roundabout

DelDOT crews have been out this week clearing the land surrounding the Cave Neck Road intersections with Hudson Road and Sweetbriar Road south of Milton. It is the first step of a project to build a five-legged roundabout. Once the clearing is complete, utility location will begin this summer. Construction of the actual roundabout is expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by the end of that year. 

Sussex County fronted $5 million to DelDOT to speed up improvements at the intersections. In 2021, current DelDOT Secretary Shanté Hastings, who was chief engineer at the time, said because of the funding, construction of this project will now occur when it was originally scheduled to begin its design phase under the previous capital transportation program.

Just a few miles east, design is underway for a grade-separated intersection at Cave Neck Road and Route 1. If the project progresses along its estimated timeline, construction is expected to begin in summer 2027 and finish in fall 2029. 

Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail update

Completion of the final phase of the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail is expected to occur near the end of 2026. When it’s finished, the 17-mile pedestrian/bike trail will offer a continuous connection between Lewes and Georgetown. The path was built on the former Delaware Coast Line Railroad bed between Lewes and Harbeson, and adjacent to the railroad tracks between Harbeson and Georgetown. 

The first phase of the trail was completed in October 2016. As of today, the trail runs uninterrupted from the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal in Lewes to Stephen P. Hudson Park in Cool Spring. A portion of the trail is also completed on the Georgetown end. The final section runs from Fisher Road in Cool Spring to Airport Road in Georgetown. However, McLeod said a section of soon-to-be-completed trail from Fisher Road to Harbeson Road is expected to open this summer.

For updates on these and other DelDOT projects, go to deldot.gov/projects.

A message from DELDOT

TRAFFIC ALERT - Sussex County - Closure of the Lewes to Georgetown Trail for Herbicide Application

Thursday, April 16th

Lewes --

Closure of the Lewes to Georgetown Trail for Herbicide Application

Lewes - The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces to the public that the trail will be closed from Herbicide Application. The closure is due to a required herbicide application for vegetation control. Starting at 12:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 16th, 2026 until 8:00 a.m. Thursday, April 16th, 2026, pending weather.

The Delaware Department of Transportation and its hired contractor only apply herbicides that are registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for vegetation control purposes. The EPA has determined through its testing and review process that when these herbicides are applied according to the label instructions, their application "poses no unreasonable risks to human health, wildlife, or the environment.

We had 17 members join together to clean a 2 mile stretch of Cedar Creek Road in Milton as part of the Delaware Adopt a Highway program. 18 bags of trash were collected to help keep the roads we ride clean. Special thanks to Mike Savage for organizing this great effort and to our volunteers: Robert Burns, Fran Dance, Ray Grabiak, Mike Guida, Doug Hawkland, Louis Hepp, Gilbert Hofheimer, Heidi Lerch, Lee Lerch, George Modlin, Greg Parkinson, Mike Savage, Denny Shook, Fran Shook, Claude Sicard, Mark Snader and David Wellborn.

ICYMI!  

Just in case you didn't read the entire newsletter, we wanted to make sure that you were all aware that we will soon be offering new t-shirts logo-wear with our NEW LOGO! 

Right now we are planning for men's and women's short and long sleeve t-shirts, polo shirts and more! 

Stay tuned for more information on the design and especially when the store will open. 

This info was provided by Dave Wellborn, a long time member of Sussex Cyclists and hugh supporter of cancer fundraising and the Keystone State Ride.

A Life In Tandem tells the extraordinary true story of Luke, who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer aged 24. Given months to live, he sets off on a 20,000 mile cycle from Bristol to Beijing - on a tandem. Over 800 people join him, as Luke experiences extraordinary highs and devastating lows on this unique journey, and discovers what it is to be a 'CanLiver'.

Tickets are only available via this link: https://givebutter.com/a-life-in-tandem-urtoto.  The theater and movie has been paid for by the Keystone State Ride.  Here is a link to the trailer:  https://youtu.be/5DcKGUShs_E

The Keystone State Ride (KSR) supports our riders as they cycle every September from Pittsburgh to Philly.  Riders have raised over $80K for cancer research in our first two years. The KSR provides hotels (6), luggage transfers each morning, fully stocked rest stops, SAG support, and transportation to Pittsburgh. Learn more at  KeystoneStateRide.com   The event is also on our Sussex Cyclists calender.

"I was lucky enough to see this film in Lancaster, and have worked to bring this film to Delaware. I'm also a cancer survivor, and started a nonprofit in 2024 to raise funds for cancer research. The theater has been extremely helpful and generous in getting this movie into the US. I’m so excited that my friends will be able to see this movie. It’s such a great story. Thank you for supporting our organization" - Dave Wellborn

From the Cape Gazette - April 3, 2026

Lewes could flip-flop parking in busy Savannah Road corridor.

Read on...

Here’s a helpful guide for bikers, visitors, and anyone getting around —courtesy of the City of Lewes. Enjoy!

https://www.ci.lewes.de.us/1463/Getting-Around

Press Release -- March 12, 2026

TRAFFIC ALERT - Sussex County - Closure of the Georgetown to Lewes Trail for tree work

Monday, March 16th through Friday, March 20th

Lewes -- Lewes - ; The Delaware Department of Transportation announces the Georgetown to Lewes Trail will be closed from Cool Spring Road to Savannah Road starting Monday, March 16th through Friday, March 20th (weather permitting) between 8am and 5pm daily for tree clearing operations.

From CoastTV, March 7, 2026

Cape Henlopen trails to close weekdays for repairs starting March 9

LEWES, Del. - The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced that two trails at Cape Henlopen State Park will temporarily close on weekdays for repair work beginning March 9.

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