FREDERICA, DELAWARE (3/18/2016) Construction is about to begin on a third interchange project along the Route 1 beach highway in southern Kent County.
The latest project is just south of Frederica and will help ease traffic for a sports complex planned nearby.
Construction is currently underway on interchanges at Thompsonville Road between Frederica and Milford, and at Bowers Beach Road in Little Heaven, eliminating traffic lights that caused frequent backups, particularly in the summer.
While there is no traffic light at south Frederica, crossovers there have been the scenes of accidents. A new overpass and connector roads as wells as ramps for Route 1 will eliminate the crossovers. The overpass will allow local motorists to travel between Milford Neck Road, the northern end of Tub Mill Pond Road and the southern end of Frederica Road without having to travel on Route 1.
Planning for the south Frederica project began in 2007. Construction is expected to take about two years.
Gov. Jack Markell, DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan, U.S. Sen. Tom Carper and other state officials will hold a groundbreaking at 11:30 a.m. today to kick off the project. The ceremony will be held in the parking lot at Meding’s Seafood Restaurant, 3697 Bay Road (Route 1).
An interchange at the north end of Frederica, connecting the northern end of Frederica Road (Route 12) to Route 1, was completed in 2011.
An interchange on Route 1 at Route 30 south of Milford, in Sussex County, opened in 2014.
Construction of another Route 1 interchange, at Northeast Front Street in Milford, is expected to begin in 2017.
Construction of new Route 1 interchange at Little Heaven to begin
Route 1 interchange construction north of Milford to bring lane closures
DelDOT plans for interchange south of Frederica
Big changes planned for Route 1