Biking Lewes to Rehoboth (and vice versa) to take a small step, and giant leap forward
The Junction Breakwater Trail is a State treasure that currently comes to a crazy dead-end just shy of Rehoboth. Props to DelDot for getting this fixed.
Rehoboth Beach — Delaware Department of Transportation says design work on a proposed Rehoboth Beach extension of the Junction Breakwater Trail could be finished by next summer.
DelDOT spokesman Jim Westhoff said there is no firm timetable or cost estimates for the time. John Hermes of DelDOT told the Rehoboth streets and transportation committee that he anticipated a two-year process, with planning the first year and construction taking another year.
Hermes said the plan’s goal is to keep bicycle and pedestrian traffic on one side of the road heading into Rehoboth and get traffic onto Rehoboth Avenue Extended but not crossing it.
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The trail currently ends at Hebron Road and Holland Glade Road outside Rehoboth. A second prong of the trail leads through the woods and also ends at Hebron Road.
To get to Rehoboth Avenue Extended, DelDOT has planned several alternate routes, including going down and then across Church Street onto Rehoboth Avenue Extended. Another proposal would cut through a planned development next to Shoal Harbor and come out on Rehoboth Avenue Extended. Hermes said the developer has agreed to construct and pay for the trail connection through to Rehoboth Avenue Extended.
Hermes said the Church Street section is one of the most difficult because so much traffic uses it, particularly during the summer. He said the plan there would be to widen the existing bike lane and keep bicycle traffic from making left hand turns onto Rehoboth Avenue Extended.
DelDOT’s plans call for new 10-foot paths on one side of the road leading to the entrance to Rehoboth. The north side of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal Bridge would be widened to provide a 10-foot, two-way access path for bike and pedestrian traffic.
I love all the bike trails, I just wish that they didn’t all seem to end in dead-ends (I’m looking at you Mike Castle Trail in Delaware City!).
It would be really nice if there was free parking for cars on both ends of this trail.
It would be nice if there were parking there period. Most people would have no objection to a nominal charge and if they did, they could be reminded that the alternative is no parking.
Dave, if the parking fee went to the upkeep of the bike trail, I’d be for it. I don’t need to give the governments of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach any more of my money.
Agreed. That should be a given. The constraint of course is available space at the trailhead. Still, it would be worthwhile to put the thought into the heads of the Delaware Bicycle Council, DELDOT and elected officials.
The bike trails are not in the city of Rehoboth. The city doesn’t like the bike paths at all. It brings more people into town and the last thing the City wants is people.
A parking lot would be nice. In the mean time, do what everyone else does, park at the outlets.
And while there is not a “trail” into Rehoboth, there is a “route” that many of us take in from the nominal end of the Breakwater Trail, and it is well traveled if significantly less safe than the trail itself.
And the City is none to pleased with more bike paths or easier access. The city has no interest in making the town more friendly or accommodating.
Oh I agree with that ^^^^
Its a shame bus fares are going up again on those that can least afford it by 25% but deldots has funding to provide entertainment for the more affluent