The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) continues to plow and salt roads across New Castle County as nearly three inches has fallen in many areas as of 2:30pm. DelDOT maintenance & operations yards are fully staffed and more than 100 plow trucks are active on the roads. In addition, plow trucks and staff from Kent and Sussex counties have also been deployed to assist in New Castle County, as the storm has primarily been a rain event in the southern part of the state.

DelDOT advises motorists that the evening rush hour is likely to be difficult as snow continues to fall and numerous accidents have been reported across the county. Please use extra caution on the roads and give DelDOT plows plenty of space to work as they continue to salt and plow this afternoon and evening.

DOVER, Del.— Governor John Carney joined Secretary of Transportation Jennifer Cohan on Monday to highlight infrastructure investments that will be made throughout the state as part of the FY20 – FY25 Capital Transportation Program. Currently, more than $3.2 billion in infrastructure work is planned for Delaware’s transportation network over the next six years. When including FY19 in the total, the investments total $4 billion.

Notable projects include the widening of SR 1 north and south from Route 273 to the Roth Bridge in New Castle County, the US 13 Camden Widening project in Kent County, and the SR 1 Minos Conaway Grade Separated Intersection in Sussex County.

“With these investments, we are modernizing our transportation system statewide,” said Governor Carney. “This is the kind of smart, infrastructure investment that will create jobs, alleviate congestion, and lead to real economic growth statewide. Thank you to members of the General Assembly for helping us fund these important investments.”

 
“While we have many large infrastructure projects scheduled around the state, we’ll are also investing more than $100 million in public transportation and rail, $80 million in road paving and rehabilitation projects, as well as $20 million in sidewalk improvements to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards,” added Secretary Cohan.

“Today’s announcement sends a clear to message to Delawareans: our state is growing and improving rapidly and all of us in state government are serious about making the kinds of infrastructure investments to support that growth,” said Senator Stephanie Hansen, Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “Our state prides itself in working together to get things done, and infrastructure is one of the key tests of how well a government functions. I think we are passing that test here and it will make for a safer, more efficient state and a stronger economy in the years and decades to come.”

“These infrastructure investments will impact communities throughout Delaware, creating jobs, easing congestion and improving the lives of Delawareans by fostering an efficient transportation system,” said Representative Ed Osienski, Chair of the House Transportation, Land Use and Infrastructure Committee. “These investments are substantial, and I look forward to seeing the continued progress.”

Each year, DelDOT develops a 6-year Capital Transportation Plan (CTP) that identifies anticipated capital investments. This plan is developed in cooperation with the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO), Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization and Sussex County government. The plan provides information on the actual cost expenditures for each project phase that are anticipated in each specific fiscal year. The Council on Transportation provides final approval of the CTP by March 1st of the following year. For more information visit the DelDOT website.

Video from Monday’s event can be found here.

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SLAUGHTER BEACH – This morning, Delaware Governor John Carney joined DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan, state legislators, conservation partners, and the community of Slaughter Beach to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Marvel Saltmarsh Preserve Boardwalk project. The boardwalk and overlook will enable visitors, including schoolchildren, to walk out onto the saltmarsh to view and experience this amazing Bayshore ecosystem and its natural resources up close.

“The scenic overlook that we are building here will provide a new opportunity to enjoy this saltmarsh landscape and a diverse array of wildlife year round,” said Governor Carney. “This project will help Delawareans, and visitors to our state, discover our state’s rich history and natural heritage, as well as the Bayshore’s natural beauty.”

“This project is a major enhancement to a premier destination in our Bayshore region, giving visitors unique access to a new outdoor recreation opportunity,” said Secretary Garvin. “Visitors also will have the opportunity to learn about our dynamic coastal marsh systems, the plants and animals they support, and the coastal communities like Slaughter Beach that depend on them.”

“DelDOT is pleased to partner with DNREC and the Town of Slaughter Beach in the construction of a scenic overlook along the Delaware Nature Society’s Marvel tract,” said Secretary Cohan. “This overlook will be another great addition to the Delaware Bayshore Byway that showcases our beautiful state.”

Owned and managed by the Delaware Nature Society, the 109-acre Marvel Saltmarsh Preserve was donated to DNS in 1988 by the Marvel family of Milford – Randy and Linda Marvel, and Harvey and Kate Marvel, who attended today’s event. The preserve is home to many species, including fiddler crabs, blue crabs, grass shrimp, mollusks, and insects, as well as being a premier birding destination, with marsh wrens, seaside sparrows, clapper rails, great egrets, willets, and osprey. The Y-shaped, accessible boardwalk design, totaling approximately 345 feet, will provide access to a marsh pool at one end and a view of a nearby constructed osprey nest platform from an elevated observation platform at the other end. The boardwalk will enhance the environmental education programs DNS hosts for more than 1,000 students and families annually at the preserve.

The Marvel Saltmarsh Preserve scenic overlook project was made possible by a partnership between DNREC, DelDOT, DNS, and the Town of Slaughter Beach, with funding for design, engineering, and construction coming from multiple sources. Initial design and engineering funding was provided through a grant from DNREC’s Outdoor Recreation Parks and Trails grant program, with additional funding from DNREC’s Delaware Bayshore Initiative. Project construction funding is from the U.S Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration via DelDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Program, which requires matching funds from a sponsor. With a long-term land lease between DNS and the town in place, Slaughter Beach is serving as the match sponsor, with a second grant from DNREC’s Outdoor Recreation Parks and Trails grant program. State Senator Gary Simpson and State Representative Harvey Kenton provided additional state funding from the Community Transportation Fund. The Delaware Nature Society also assisted and supported Slaughter Beach’s fundraising efforts by acquiring additional funds from the Delmarva Ornithological Society, Milford Lions Club, and Dogfish Head Brewery.

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Today, Governor John Carney, Delaware Department of Transportation Secretary Jennifer Cohan, Delaware’s congressional delegation, and military and veterans’ leaders gathered at Dover Air Force Base to dedicate the bridge over Route 1, between DAFB and base housing, to Elizabeth Loncki, the first Delaware woman killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. This Sunday, October 14, would be Senior Airman Loncki’s 35th birthday.

Senior Airman Loncki, 23, died on Jan. 7, 2007, after her explosive ordnance disposal team was targeted by a car bomber near Baghdad, Iraq. Loncki, a New Castle native, attended St. Peter the Apostle grade school and graduated from Padua Academy in Wilmington in 2001. She briefly attended the University of Arizona before enlisting in the Air Force.

“Today we are honoring Elizabeth Loncki-a Delaware hero who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving her country,” said Governor Carney. “I am humbled by the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform who selflessly go into harm’s way to protect us here and abroad. We are proud of all those who have served, and for the many sacrifices made by our active duty and reserve members, our veterans, and their families, in order to preserve our freedoms.”

U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, said, “I am honored to be a part of the naming of this bridge for Senior Airman Elizabeth Loncki, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We owe our servicemen and women a debt of gratitude, and now the thousands of motorists who travel up and down Route 1 for work, school, and to reach their vacation destinations will have the important reminder that they are free to do all of those things because of the sacrifice of service members like Elizabeth Loncki.”

“Today is a wonderful opportunity to remember the ultimate sacrifice that Sr. Airman Elizabeth Loncki made for her country,” stated U.S. Sen. Chris Coons. “The bridge will be a reminder to all who travel it of Liz’s memory, her dedication to her profession, and her unconditional love of country and while today’s dedication is a fitting tribute, there are other ways we can honor Liz’s memory, such as answering the challenges our veterans face, ensuring they have the resources, the treatment, and the support they have earned and deserve including strengthening mental health and employment services.”

“In January 2007, 23-year-old Senior Airman Elizabeth Loncki made the ultimate sacrifice for her brothers and sisters in arms, her family, and her country,” U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester said. “This bridge is much more than just concrete and steel. It serves as a reminder of Elizabeth’s bravery and willingness to answer a calling higher than herself. With the dedication of this memorial, her memory and spirit will live on.”

Secretary of Transportation Jennifer Cohan added,”Elizabeth Loncki was a brave young woman who sacrificed her life in service to her country, and DelDOT is grateful to have the opportunity to name this bridge in her honor. Elizabeth’s dedication to the greater good is something that we should all strive to emulate, and we hope that this bridge will serve as a lasting testimony to her values.”

“We are honored to share in dedicating the bridge, which most of us use on a daily basis, to the honor and memory of Senior Airman Elizabeth Loncki,” said Colonel Joel Safranek, commander of the 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base. “She made the ultimate sacrifice for her country, and it is only fitting to have this memorial here at Dover where we return our fallen service members with dignity, honor and respect. I am grateful to be part of this and pleased to see the project come to completion.”

“Senior Airman Elizabeth Loncki was competitive, battling stereotypes to prove she belonged in a male dominated career (explosive ordinances),” said Larence Kirby, executive director of the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs. “She was brave beyond words, performing duties that few can envision. When she return from disarming explosives, we deployers thanked God for her safety and understood her efforts kept us safe. When we lost her to a violent enemy, we prayed for her soul internalizing the significance of her sacrifice, knowing she did so willingly in defense of our nation.”

Staff Sergeant Johny Hargove, who proposed the idea for naming the bridge for Elizabeth Loncki, remarked, “I would like to thank the Congressional Delegation, Governor Carney, Secretary Cohan, Mayor Christiansen and all of the Representatives for being here on this worthwhile occasion. It is certain that we all have one thing in common today and that is our admiration for Senior Airman Liz Loncki. I can’t think of a better way to be reminded of her sacrifice than to see her name memorialized on this bridge. Thank you to all who made this possible. It gives me great privilege to be on the team that brought this to fruition.”

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and local leaders cut the ribbon on the Voshells Mill Road sidewalk project in the community of Star Hill in Dover.

The $860,000 project laid 1,800 linear feet of sidewalk along Voshells Mill Road past Star Hill Elementary and along Peach Tree Run.

“We know that this project means a great deal to this community and are grateful to Aubrey Hudson, president of the Star Hill Community Association and all of the Star Hill community for their advocacy for this project,” said DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan.

“We are very pleased to see the completion of the sidewalk,” said State Rep. Lyndon Yearick, who joined Secretary Cohan in the ribbon cutting. “There have been countless individuals involved with the project over the years and the sidewalk is a welcome addition to the Star Hill Community.”

Eighty percent of the cost of the project was provided by the Federal Highway Administration through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). DelDOT allocates about $4 million worth of TAP money for sidewalks and similar projects throughout the state each year.