Dewey Beach begins plans for a pump station to address flooding on Route 1.
The Army Corps of Engineers is working on a report for a pump station on Read Avenue after meeting with the mayor and town manager. The project is still in its early stages with the Army Corps still reviewing its report on the issue.
Town manager Bill Zolper said this is an expensive project and Dewey is responsible for 25% of the cost. That number could increase if the project uses up the $1 million in federal funding arranged by Sen. Chris Coons.
“But if you look at the continuing flooding on that street, what it does to the residents that live on that street and the disruption to public safety, it's a small price to pay at this point,” Zolper said.
Zolper said when bayside flooding is at its highest in September and October, water comes up Read Avenue and shuts down Route 1, cutting people off from the most efficient way into town.
“It's about a 45-mile extra drive to get there, and it really hinders our emergency equipment that runs up and down Route 1, everything from the paramedics to ambulance service to fire trucks and the police,”
The Army Corps is still reviewing its report on the issue, and Zolper says the pump station will likely take 24 to 26 months to install after groundbreaking.
