There are only a few more days before voting ends on August 6, 2021! Vote the Georgetown to Lewes Trail (GLT) & Junction and Breakwater Pathway (JBP) into this year’s Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s (RTC) Hall of Fame!

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) are excited to announce the GLT and JBP are one of only three rail-trails to be nominated! Nominated as a pair, if selected, these Delaware treasures would join more than 30 other iconic trails that are nationally recognized in the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.

Show your support and vote today. Just click HERE or visit https://de.gov/HOFVOTE. Vote as often as you like through August 6, 2021. Voting is unlimited! The winner, to be unveiled later this summer, will receive special Hall of Fame signage for their trail, a feature in RTC’s Trailblog, and an article in the fall issue of their magazine.

“If you utilize any one of the trails in the state’s ever-expanding trail network, I encourage you to vote and often,” said Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski. “Not only would it be amazing for two of our most popular trails to receive national recognition, but it also is a reminder of what we are looking to achieve here at DelDOT and in the state. Our goal remains to conveniently connect people to the places they want to go. Whether that is work, school, a doctor’s appointment or to their favorite restaurant or shopping destination, we want to make sure our residents and visitors have options, alternative modes of transportation they can use to reach their destinations.”

“Having Delaware’s incredible trail system recognized by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a great honor for our state,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Many Delawareans and visitors who utilize our trails benefit through healthier lifestyles and enjoying our state’s natural resources, and we are proud these trails have gained national recognition.”

The Georgetown to Lewes Trail is easily one of the most celebrated pathways in Delaware. Since the completion of the first phase, the Georgetown to Lewes Trail has quickly become a favorite for residents and tourists alike. Trail enthusiasts can walk or bike to work, school, appointments, parks, restaurants, retail shops or numerous other destinations including the State’s breathtaking beaches. Approximately one million users a year choose to travel the Georgetown to Lewes Trail vs. utilize a motorized vehicle to reach their destination.

Another beloved trail, the Junction & Breakwater Pathway offers a 14-mile round trip connection between the historic Town of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. Like with many coastal communities conventional travel during the peak season can be challenging but thanks to this low stress, multi-model pathway pedestrians and bicyclists can ditch their vehicles without sacrificing an ounce of adventure. Less traffic means more time to explore, shop, dine and experience these truly unique destinations.

The GLT is currently half-way finished. This year construction will begin on two additional sections. Once complete the trail will create a 16.7-mile connection between the heart of Sussex County, Georgetown, and the historic Town of Lewes. Users of the JBP continue to praise the recently completed Rehoboth Beach Extension. Both trails are state maintained, and DelDOT and DNREC are always looking for ways to update facilities and improve trail safety. For more information on either trail, visit DelDOT.gov or dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy began recognizing exemplary rail-trails across the country in 2007. Rail-Trail Hall of Fame inductees are selected on merits such as scenic value, high use, trail and trailside amenities, historical significance, excellence in management and maintenance of facility, community connections and geographic distribution. For more details and to vote click HERE or visit https://de.gov/HOFVOTE. Voting is unlimited. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on August 6, 2021.

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

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and local leaders cut the ribbon on the Brecknock Connector Trail in Camden on Wednesday, October 3, 2018.

The project not only created a path between existing trails in Brecknock Park and the POW/MIA Parkway, it also brought an existing pedestrian bridge along Route 13 up to Americans with Disabilities Act Standards.

George & Lynch, a Dover-based contractor, constructed the trail at a cost of $666,000. Eighty percent of the project’s costs were from the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program.

“DelDOT is pleased to have completed another link in the Capital City Trail Loop, a 15-mile system of trails that enables bicyclists and pedestrians to travel freely between Dover and Camden,” said DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan. “We are proud to work with our local and federal partners to make Delaware a more walkable and bikeable state.”

Delaware now has more than 500 miles of pedestrian and bike trails throughout the state.

Delaware’s Congressional delegation, Governor John Carney, former Governor Jack Markell, State Representative Valerie Longhurst, DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan, DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, and other state and local officials gathered on Wednesday at the DuPont Environmental Education Center at the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge in Wilmington, to open the new 7.9-mile trail named after former Governor Jack Markell.

The new trail links Wilmington’s Riverfront to historic Old New Castle, and connects to a 3,000 mile East Coast Greenway that traverses Maine to Florida. The trail includes a 300 foot-long pedestrian/bicycle crossing over the Christiana River and an elevated 2,300 foot-long boardwalk through the Peterson Wildlife Refuge with paved pathways. The elevated boardwalk section is the largest pedestrian/bicycle bridge in the state.

The trail was dedicated during a ribbon-cutting ceremony as the “Jack A. Markell Trail,” in honor of the former First State’s Governor, who spearheaded the dramatic expansion of bicycle and pedestrian trails and pathways throughout Delaware during his two terms in office.

“Today’s groundbreaking on the final phase of this trail that connects the beautiful Wilmington Riverfront to Historic Old New Castle is a part of a national trail that reaches across more than 3,000 miles of our country,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper. “Governor Markell’s hard work and dedication to creating a more walkable, bikeable Delaware can be seen in the great trails we have that span our state from Wilmington to the Bayshore. It’s a lasting legacy that will be enjoyed for generations to come.”

“I am proud to have had a small part in establishing this track, when I served as New Castle County Executive, and I am equally pleased this trail will be named for Governor Markell, recognizing his championing of accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians, and his vision for connecting all of Delaware through trails and greenways,” said U.S. Senator Chris Coons.

“This exciting project further connects the communities of Wilmington and New Castle,” said Governor John Carney. “It provides more opportunities for walkers and cyclists to enjoy a beautiful part of our state. It gives those living near the trail another option for their morning commute. And, it finalizes a critical link that incorporates Delaware into a vast network of trails in our region and along the East Coast. None of this would have been possible without the vision and leadership of Governor Markell and his Trails and Pathways Initiative. Naming this trail in his honor is a fitting recognition of his efforts to promote healthier living, increase tourism, and bring together towns and communities in our state. I’m looking forward to its opening, and I know the Governor will be one of the first ones out here to ride it.”

“I’m thrilled that we’re opening this trail, which establishes a critical new link within our state’s trail network and the East Coast greenway,” said former Governor Jack Markell. “Dozens of miles of new trails and pathways have been constructed to more fully integrate our hundreds of miles of existing routes into a world-class regional trail network. Doing so strengthens the quality of life of people in our state, while helping attract more people to live and work here.”

“Governor Markell has done more to advance the idea of a walkable, bikeable Delaware than any other elected official, and that’s not hyperbole, that’s simply a fact,” said House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, an avid cyclist who has biked with the Governor on several occasions. “During his time in office, Governor Markell has proposed, fought for, and helped secure tens of millions of dollars in funding for Delaware to invest in cycling and pedestrian trails up and down the state. As a result of many of these improvements, we’ve seen Delaware’s ranking by the League of American Bicyclists climb from 31st in 2008, to 18th in 2011, all the way up to 3rd last year. Thanks to Governor Markell, Delawareans and visitors to our state have an unprecedented opportunity to see our state as never before.”

“Thanks to Governor Markell, this trail – and many others already completed under his visionary First State Trails and Pathways Initiative – will continue to link people with opportunities for health, education, recreation and employment for decades to come,” said Secretary of Transportation Jennifer Cohan.

“It is appropriate that we name our newest trail in Delaware after Governor Jack Markell,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “We continue to realize his vision to build a world-class trail network across the state that enhances recreational options for residents and visitors, provides alternative transportation routes, and benefits the environment. We are connecting more residents and visitors to the outdoors, and it is a wonderful legacy for our current and future generations.”

The $22.5 million project was completed by JJID Inc. of Bear.

For further information visit www.deldot.gov, or contact DelDOT Community Relations at 1-800-652-5600 or 302-760-2080, or contact DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Above: Secretary Cohan and local officials prepare to cut the ribbon on the newly completed West Street Trail in Dover Friday.

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and the City of Dover cut the ribbon for the newly completed West Street Trail in Dover on Friday. The West Street Trail is an ADA-accessible route for bicyclists and pedestrians to travel through Dover and connect with the Dover Transit Center on Queen Street.

The $400,000 trail includes an 8-to-10-foot-wide multi-use path that runs along South West Street, between West Water Street and West North Street. Along West North Street, the trail includes a 5-foot-wide sidewalk. The project added a concrete pedestrian refuge in the island at the intersection. Improved drainage and a safer railroad crossing were also part of the project. The total length of the trail is about three tenths of a mile long.

Eighty percent of the project’s cost was paid by federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds, which support projects that reduce traffic and air pollution. Twenty percent of the project’s cost was borne by DelDOT’s capital budget.

“The completion of the West Street trail is another important link in the transportation network within the City of Dover. It connects many of the city’s residents with the Dover Transit Center, where thousands each month connect to DART service throughout the state,” said DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan. “By enabling more people to travel without their own vehicles, projects like the West Street Trail reduce traffic congestion and pollution.”

The West Street Trail was championed by the City of Dover and its bicycle and pedestrian subcommittee. It was laid out in Dover Pedestrian Improvements Master Plan.

“Since my first bicycle as a child it has afforded me many hours of pleasure and freedom. It has given me the opportunity, then and now, to explore places not easily accessed by automobiles,” said Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen. “Today, the City of Dover has partnered with the State of Delaware to bring that freedom back safely to all of our citizens. Bicycling affords each of us the opportunity to experience once again, whether we are 8 or 80, that freedom and sense of adventure.”

“The City of Dover through our Bicycling and Pedestrian Subcommittee has enjoyed a fabulous relationship with DelDOT advancing numerous projects in the past few years,” said James Hutchison, chairman of the city’s bicycle and pedestrian subcommittee. “We truly support the efforts of not only closing the gaps in the bicycle/pedestrian network within Dover, but also to connect trail systems that offer users safe routes for cycling and pedestrianized travel by connecting to pathways leading out of the city limits. We very much appreciate the opportunity to have been involved in this project!”

“The West Street Trail is a small project, but it is an important one because it connects Dover’s growing low-stress bicycle network to the Dover Transit Center. That’s an example of connecting the modes at the nodes – where we increase the utility of both our bicycle and our transit networks by making sure they fit seamlessly together,” said James Wilson, Bike Delaware executive director.

Reybold Construction, based in Bear, constructed the trail, beginning in April 2018.