South Governors Avenue Improvements Will Create New Capitol City Gateway

By: Carolann Wicks, P.E., Secretary, Delaware Department of Transportation

Dover -- In July, 2008, the Department of Transportation (DelDOT) closed South Governors Avenue to through traffic between Webbs Lane and Wyoming Avenue. The closure was to accommodate the construction of a larger and more modern bridge at the Puncheon Run. But the bridge work is only part of an overall $11-million project, which runs the length of South Governors Avenue from Webbs Lane to Water Street. Many years of cooperative planning between the City of Dover and DelDOT resulted in this significant project. It will be a fully completed in the fall of 2010.

I am happy to report that last week, South Governors Avenue across the Puncheon Run bridge was re-opened to through traffic.

While the bridge is now open to traffic, let me remind motorists, businesses, and nearby residents that the project has not been completed. Work crews have already been working north of Wyoming Avenue on utility issues. In the coming months, the remainder of the project work will move completely into the area between Wyoming Avenue and Water Street.

South Governors Avenue will remain open to through traffic during the balance of the project, but there will be times when lane restrictions will be in place. Motorists may face delays, but they will be able to drive through the work area.

At this point in the construction, I thought it was appropriate to recognize the residents and businesses that had to deal with the issues brought about by the closure of the roadway. A number of the businesses are dependent upon drive-by traffic and were forced to contend with the hardships created by the loss of customers. Unfortunately, just about the same time that construction started, national economic issues erupted - spiraling gasoline prices that reached $4 per gallon locally, the declines in the housing and stock markets, and layoffs.

To those businesses that persevered and endured the hardships, I want to extend my gratitude. I assure them, and the businesses in the area where construction will begin next, that DelDOT is aware of and sensitive to the problems that construction causes. We will continue to strive to do what we can to minimize entrance impacts, with advance notice and open communication.

At the same time, the long-term benefits of a project such as we are undertaking on South Governors Avenue have to be weighed against the short-term complications. The bridge replacement may help alleviate some of the flooding issues that have plagued nearby homeowners when the Puncheon Run gets swollen with too much water. The South Governors Avenue project had its genesis in a Highway Safety Improvement Project, so to that end, the roadway will be made safer with a dedicated center turn lane for protected left turns. Additional improvements include sidewalks, bike lanes, and drainage improvements. A safer roadway with better mobility for pedestrians will mean more potential customers feeling comfortable patronizing the businesses on South Governors Avenue in the future.

I encourage everyone to visit the area and cross the new bridge. DelDOT did not just replace an old bridge. The department used the replacement as an opportunity to create an attractive gateway into the City of Dover. This is the first project in the greater Dover area, in which electric, telephone and cable lines are being buried, eliminating the visual clutter that plagued the roadway. That visual appeal will also drive more business into the area.

For the businesses and motorists affected by the bridge replacement and closure, a difficult period is over. DelDOT appreciates your patience and cooperation. We will continue to communicate the progress of the work as it moves north into the second phase of construction.

Thank you,
Carolann Wicks, P.E.
Secretary, Delaware Department of Transportation
Carolann Wicks was appointed Delaware's eighth secretary of transportation by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner in February 2006, and re-appointed to the position by Governor Jack Markell in 2009. She began her career at DelDOT in 1982 as an entry-level engineer. She was most recently the department's Chief Engineer.