Route 1 Is A Nightmare
May 2nd, 2008 by Maria EvansToday it took me 18 minutes and 7 light cycles to get onto Route 1 in Lewes, I was about 20 cars back to start. On Tuesday my large, plain pizza from Pizza Villa was cold when I got home because you couldn’t turn left onto Route 1 from the Midway Shopping Center. My friend almost ran out of gas stuck in traffic and trying to find a gas station they could actually turn in to.
Why?
Because the Department of Transportation has Route 1 totally screwed up from the Nassau Bridge through Rehoboth Beach. One lane, each way. Two or three or four State Police cars in every intersection. No way to turn left into shopping centers. Blocked lanes, split lanes, lanes with no lines. What’s the deal?
This is a debacle. DELDOT’s inability to manage and control the Route 1 construction project is just another example of how poorly they operate. Do I need to even mention the Indian River Inlet Bridge?
Today is the kick off of the Delaware Republican Party’s Convention at the Bay Center in Dewey Beach. I can only imagine the smiles on GOPers faces as they drive through yet another dysfunctional state project. What a shame it doesn’t look like they’ll be able to take advantage of how badly the state’s been run for so many years.
Gas is too expensive to waste idling on Route 1 all day trying to turn left. But the worst part is this construction nightmare is supposed to end on May 22, just in time for the tourist season to kick in. No traffic rest for the Eastern Sussex County weary.
Thanks Carolyn Wicks, head of DELDOT, I look forward to the day when you’re out, I wish it was today. You, and your little governor, too.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Maria, you should get your glasses checked !!! LITTLE GOVERNOR??? Route 1 is indeed a mess as I saw it last night on the way home from work in Lewes. It was indeed a mess. Nice post, Maria !!!
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Oh My Goodness, Maria. I just clicked onto the deldot webcam and I cannot believe what the mess is at 5 points. Then I clicked onto the Route 24 and Route 1 spot and the Southbound traffic is as far as you can see.
May 3rd, 2008 at 7:42 am
What a mess this has been It’s been two years. In a way I’m glad we are not open yet because we for sure wouldn’t be doing business. We expect to open just when the highway is completed but I sure do feel sorry for the businesses are are counting on the early season.
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Maria,
What you’ve got on Route 1 is what you’ll have if the State has anything to do with the traffic at the intersection of Delmarva Power and Bluewater Wind.
Except the traffic lights won’t work.
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
wil, DelDot’s debacle on Rt. 1 is a state contract, funded by tax dollars. The wind farm, thankfully, will not be a state contract, funded by tax dollars.
But good try.
May 4th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Here’s my very warped statement: I leave midway palace after seeing: “IronMan”. The 5 Points road is accident really to happened. I saw about close to dozen vehicles in turn lane going to Plantations road & Rt.23. The drivers neally blocked one lane of 5 points rd. going to Georgetown. I had the common sense to drive to Harbeson to Indian Mission to Hollyville roads to get on rt.24 going to Millsboro. I believe let the accidents & traffic jams occur at 5 points. If enough of those incidents occur, then action will be taken to correct it, or have individual with Youtube account park their vehicle at Wilmington Trust branch in 5 points. They need to take out their video camera, filmed the weekend traffic jam, & posted it on Youtube. I consider it, priceless. A good video humilation on youtube will be justified.
May 4th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
The sad part is that even when they are done traffic will flow no faster. DELDOT insists on timing the traffic lights so you have to stop at every light between 5 Points and Dewey.
May 4th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Maria, How are tax dollars different from the ones in my wallet? The ones in my wallet can actually become “tax dollars” if rates of taxation change.
Some will disagree, but DelDOT is not the problem. It’s failures are symptoms of what’s wrong.
What we need is leadership. Qualified, diligent leadership brings good roads and the best use of taxpayer dollars, “tax dollars” or otherwise.
May 5th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
What do you mean Maria? I love sitting through 7 cycles of a light that only turns green long enough for 1 car to get through, merging left, no wait…right, no, lets all use the new right turn lane! It is wonderful sitting in bumper to bumper traffic hoping that I make it home in time for the school bus only to then sit at the bus stop worrying when the bus is 45 minutes late because they could not make a left turn off of route 1 (God bless those bus drivers!)! I t really makes me happy when 9 out of 10 workers are leaning on their machines on their cell phones, having a friendly chat amongst themselves while enjoying a smoke, or simply standing there watching us inch by! Thank You DelDot for adding a little more stress to everyone’s day!