SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - The final phase of the Lewes-Georgetown Trail is currently in the design phase. The first section of the project opened to the public in 2016. DelDOT has announced that if all goes according to plan, the final section is expected to be completed by fall 2025. It's an effort over a decade in the making.
DelDOT Director of Community Relations C.R. McLeod says the entire trail will be 17 miles long once the final phase is complete.
"We think it's really going to be the crowned jewel of our trail system here in Delaware," McLeod says.
The trail currently ends at Fisher Road, but will extend an additional 6.5 miles to Airport Road in Georgetown. The expansion is largely funded by a $21 million RAISEÂ federal grant, a significant investment that trail enthusiasts argue is justified by the benefits.
Locals like Lisa and Bridgett Whitcombe, are enthusiastic about the extension.
"It's nice. But then you get to the end and you're like, I wish it went longer," Lisa says.
The trail's extension is not only a boon for recreational users, some think it will also reduce traffic congestion.
"If it takes cars off the roads because we'd be paying to refurbish the roads if we're not doing a trail," says Julie Hopkins of the Nassau Commons community. "To me, a trail is worth it. Exercise and beauty, all in one."
"So many people use the trail," says Rosemary Giangiulil of Milton. "It is going to add to the value of the area. What attracts people here in the first place is to be outside."
Despite the construction, DelDOT says the traffic impact will be minimal.
"We do have some intersection crossings, so when the construction is happening in those areas there may be some lane shifts and things of that nature," McLeod says.
The anticipation is high as the project moves toward the bidding phase in the coming months, with groundbreaking scheduled for this fall. This trail is set to link Lewes, the first town, directly to Georgetown, the county seat, enhancing connectivity and recreational opportunities across the region.