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Saturday, March 24, 2012

Sussex Businesses Fear Another Summer of Route 54 Construction

SELBYVILLE, Del. - Businesses along Route 54 in Sussex County worry they may not survive another summer of construction on the highway.
"It's been awful," said Karen Fritz, general manager of Smitty McGee's Restaurant. "Last year, we didn't have a summer basically."
The Delaware Department of Transportation said the mild weather is working in favor of the contractor; however, spokesman Jason Lang said the expected completion date remains sometime this summer. The contractor continues to look for ways to finish the project early, Lang said.
Crews have been working since November, 2010 to widen the highway and make room for a center turn lane.
As summer visitors flocked to the area last year, the construction led to major congestion. Fritz said drivers who avoided the highway avoided businesses as well.
"We laid people off in the summertime," said Fritz. "They didn't make any money."
Last summer, DelDOT moved construction work into the overnight for several weeks to help ease congestion during the day.
Fritz said work needs to be finished by Memorial Day weekend this year or visitors will avoid the highway for the entire season.
"I want them to hurry up," she said. "Get it finished."
At a nearby package store, night manager Chad Hudson said it appears as though crews are making progress. He hopes to see work finished this spring.
"There's been days that I've sat in traffic so long where I've actually put my truck in park and turned it off," Hudson said.
DelDOT will take steps to minimize the traffic impact if work continues beyond Memorial Day, Lang said.
The contractor has completed excavation on the north side of the road and is finishing the stone base, Lang said. In the next few weeks, workers hope to begin placing the sidewalk and asphalt for the north side widening.
The project is expected to cost about $10 million, according to DelDOT.

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