Another bike trail in Delaware is being extended.
The 14-mile Junction and Breakwater Pathway Extension into the City of Rehoboth was recently completed, allowing Delawareans to ride a bike safely from Rehoboth to Lewes without having to drive.
Now, construction is underway to extend the Georgetown-Lewes Trail from its current 8.7 miles to 17 miles.
“We’ve begun stage 8 - if you can believe it - of the Georgetown to Lewes Trail," said C.R. McLeod, director of community relations for DelDOT. "And we’re now actually going to be working on the western side of where the trail will be. We’re starting in Georgetown, just by the Little League Complex. And this section of trail will extend to about Airport Road, where we’re currently undertaking a major realignment project.”
McLeod says the trail currently runs from Cool Springs in Milton into the City of Lewes, right beside the Lewes Public Library.
McLeod says the latest extension will cost more than $900,000 and the work is expected to be done by October. And he notes this extension includes something new, McLeod says Phase 8 of the project will include something new.
“The difference with this section of trail is that it will be built adjacent to the existing rail line. Where the current trail has been replacing the rail line as it has been built, we are not taking the rail line out in Georgetown as that is still used from time to time, said McLeod. "This trail will actually be built adjacent to the train track with a safety fence dividing it.”
Once it’s complete, Mc Leod says this will be the longest bike trail in Delaware and “something very unique on the East Coast.”
McLeod adds in 2020, the current Georgetown to Lewes Trail had 1.2 million trips taken on it, which he calls an astounding number, and an indication this trail is in high demand.
