REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - The 14 mile Junction and Breakwater Trail that runs from Lewes to Rehoboth is now complete, connecting two coastal communities with an alternative mode of transportation.
DelDOT says the portion of the trail from Canal Crossing Road to Rehoboth Avenue was six years in the making. The agency cut a ribbon to celebrate its completion on Friday morning. The $513,000 project includes a 10-foot-wide asphalt trail and two-way buffered bicycle lane.
Bike Delaware Executive Director James Wilson rode the new Rehoboth portion of the trail for the first time Friday and says its a lot safer than before.
"You could go in sort of on the same right of way, but there wasn't that protected place where you've tot your three kids, one four, twelve, and 10 before," Wilson says. "It was frightening."
Part of the project adds a new stop sign on Church Street, which creates kind of a blind spot when bikers are coming out from behind the fence there, but DelDOT says that new signs in the area to let people know about the stop sign and public outreach will help.
Dan Cochran of Rehoboth Beach takes the new path daily, but slows down when he gets to the stop sign.
"I get off if I need to and usually let the car go if they're there," Cochran says. Some bikers, I'm sure you'll see, they think they have the right of way, which they don't."
Senator Carper says the federal government funded a portion of the project for more than just Delawareans.
"It helps us attack climate change, too much carbon in the air, it cleans up," Senator Carper says. "We as the people are too obese and we need to exercise more and this is actually a great magnitude for tourism."
Senator Carper hopes lawmakers will vote on the bipartisan compromise for roads, highways, bridges and transportation in July. He says Delaware would then be able to apply for some of that funding.Â
