U.S. Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) joined Delaware Department of Transportation Secretary Nicole Majeski Tuesday in breaking ground on the start of the Park Avenue Phase 1 project.
Also joined by other local officials from Sussex County and Georgetown, Carper said the project will improve traffic operations along Park Avenue. The project will provide a continuous U.S. Route 9 Truck Bypass from U.S. Route 113 to U.S. 9 East of Georgetown and improve existing conditions for the residential areas of Park Avenue and South Bedford Street. The project will also see the installation of a roundabout at the intersection of South Bedford Street, Arrow Safety Road, and Park Avenue.
“This is a day over 20 years in the making,” Carper said. “The investments, most of which are from federal funding, to realign Truck Route 9 and Park Avenue will not only enhance safety for cars and trucks but will also facilitate economic development projects like extending the runway at Delaware Coastal Airport.”
The realignment of Park Avenue will address existing safety and traffic issues and allow for an additional 500-foot expansion of the Delaware Coastal Airport main runway. The project will also provide access to the Sussex County Industrial Park and serve as a bypass for trucks and traffic moving through the central part of the county, Carper’s office said.
“We are making needed infrastructure investments in Sussex County, and projects such as this, the nearly completed Georgetown East Gateway project, and Route 24 improvements are all intended to improve safety as Sussex County continues to grow,” said Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski.
The $25.5 million project is expected to be completed at the beginning of 2024, with phase construction starting later that year.