Lewes-Georgetown Trail Launches!
In a major milestone for a project that Bike Delaware has been advocating for since 2011, DelDOT has – finally – awarded the contract to build Phase I of the Lewes-Georgetown Trail.
Bike Delaware’s first article on this project was published over 4 years ago – on June 14, 2011! – and was simply titled “Overdue.”
Phase I of the Lewes-Georgetown Trail will break ground in the spring of 2016 and will run from Gills Neck Road to Savannah Road along a little-used rail lane in Lewes. Future phases of the project will extend the 10 foot wide paved trail for a total of 17 miles (!) all the way to Georgetown, creating the longest trail in Delaware. Crucially, it will connect increasingly populous communities west of Route 1 in Sussex County to Lewes and (via the Junction & Breakwater Trail) to Rehoboth. The trail will also provide a much-needed safe, grade-separated crossing of the extremely busy and dangerous Route 1, going under the Nassau Bridge.
Route of future Lewes-Georgetown Trail where it will pass under the busy and dangerous Route 1. (This segment of the trail is not included in the contract awarded yesterday by DelDOT.) The trail will be built alongside the existing rail line, which will remain in place.
The Lewes-Georgetown Trail is an ambitious project which would not be possible without the support of the Delaware General Assembly, Sussex County Council and Governor Jack Markell:
- On May 12, 2011, the Delaware General Assembly passed Walkable Bikeable Delaware, which directed DelDOT to “create multi-use paths for pedestrian and bicycle user travel within and between cities and towns in Delaware on independent right-of-way outside of the right-of-way of existing roadways.”
- In September of 2011, Sussex County Council identified the Lewes-Georgetown Trail as a County transportation priority.
- Finally, and critically, Governor Markell included the project in his huge and ambitious First State Trails and Pathways Initiative.
Local cyclist Ray Quillen, who grew up in Lewes, has long waited for yesterday’s announcement. In fact, he has been so impatient for the trail to get started – and especially for the section under the Nassau Bridge – that last year he personally roughed out an unpaved section of trail underneath the Nassau Bridge. The Cape Gazette called Quillen a cyclist on a “mission” for the trail.
“I am pleased to see that the contract has been signed and awarded and I am anxious for the work get started and for this section to be completed,” said Quillen. “Once this section is completed I hope that the second phase can be started soon thereafter. I hope that once the entire trail is completed that I am still able to ride and enjoy it!”
Cengiz Tanverdi, who lives in the Red Mill Pond community just west of Route 1 – and who has been another tenacious advocate for the trail – was also pleased to hear that the contract for Phase I has been awarded, worrying only that he might “be using a tricycle by the time it’s finished.”
RELATED:
• Go where there is no path (crossing Route 1) and leave a trail (under the Nassau Bridge!)
• Lewes cyclist on mission for new trail (Cape Gazette)
• DelDOT Public Workshop on Phase I of Georgetown to Lewes Trail
• Why the Georgetown to Lewes Trail Attracted Us to Invest in Delaware
• Sussex County Council Includes Lewes-to-Georgetown In Its List of Transportation Priorities
• Public Prefers Rail-With-Trail for Lewes-Georgetown Route at DelDOT Workshop
• Lewes to Georgetown Route is Overdue
DelDOT First State Trails and Pathways Plan Georgetown to Lewes Trail Markell
80 Responses
Hopefully we will still all be of sound riding age by the time its completed.
Even still, wise men plant trees when they know they won’t see their shade
Even wiser men have been hit, crushed and left for dead by cement trucks whiles bicycling on Rt 1
Yes!
What section?
Gills Neck Road to Savannah Road….headed to Georgetown!
Gills Neck Road to Savannah Road….headed to Georgetown!
This is so critically important. With Sussex co council approving every high density, treeless, generic plastic development proposed, we will need trails
This is so critically important. With Sussex co council approving every high density, treeless, generic plastic development proposed, we will need trails
This is great news. A 17 mile road bike worthy off road trail starting in Lewes. Unfortunately, being in Rehoboth, I have no way to get my road bike to it off highway except the unpaved Breakwater. ☹️
This is great news. A 17 mile road bike worthy off road trail starting in Lewes. Unfortunately, being in Rehoboth, I have no way to get my road bike to it off highway except the unpaved Breakwater. ☹️
You must be real fun at parties.
Can you just take the positive step, then lobby for your proposed connection from Rehoboth?
Fabulous!
Hey, just saying if I’m hit by a car while riding the highway on my way to this great addition (and it is a great thing) it doesn’t do me any good. Guess I need to understand the reason just paving the already constructed Breakwater Trail hasn’t been done.
Actually, maybe I’m not a lot of fun at parties.
Is the bike path going to follow the train track all the way to Georgetown.
It will if we have anything to say about it. But it’s going to take a lot of steady advocacy work so that the follow-up projects (to get us all the way to Georgetown) stay at the top of our leaders’ agendas.
The Junction & Breakwater Trail was built by DNREC (which is a big part of the reason it’s unpaved). Perhaps DNREC would consider paving it if there was a lot of public demand for a paved trail?
Awesome
Being a roadie and knowing the disdain for riding on sidewalks, nevertheless the one DELDOT is finishing goes all the way from Rehoboth to beyond Five Points and gives you a viable option to ride your bike out to the rail-with-trail.
The path has many type users including people kids and dogs walking. I ride a slow beach cruiser and have often seen people going way to fast. If it was paved, it would be worse in my view
So true. I often wonder if anyone is actually thinking about long-term impacts to all the development we’re doing for short-term gain.
Lauren Renee
In the Summer, it’s sometimes quicker to walk that route due to traffic backups.
Trent Swanson
Wow! This is awesome! Let’s be the first to run this puppy!
Brent M Wilson- day trip!
This is great news! I recently rode a fundraiser ride in Richmond, Va. To raise funds for there Capital trail project.
We need your support here to make sure this trail continues all the way to Georgetown: http://www.bikede.org/join-bike-delaware/
Paving of the J&B might be nice, but I make out just fine on it now with my road bike.
Oh happy day!
Trails are nice. But once we loose those mass transit right of ways we will never get them back. Wouldn’t a train to Lewes,the state park and the ferry be great how many cars would that take off our roads?
Walter Gagliano, thank you for this important question! During the (very long) process of evaluating this trail, DelDOT solicited public input and the very clear message received was that people did not want to see the rail line removed. So the trail that is being built will go in alongside the rail line, which will remain both in place and active. (It’s actually still being used once or twice a week to deliver some freight.)
Kevin, skidding and safety aside, my road bike is high end and I have no desire to have all the dirt that ends up on my cross bike after riding the trail being on my road bike.
Great news. When I moved to Delaware from Philadelphia I was really surprised there was no bike trails. Philly had a great one all the way to Valley Forge. So happy to have some options now. The breakwater and Gordon’s pond trail are great family outing! Looking forward to biking to G-town!
Environmentalist objected to JBT for years. The trail had been on the agenda for many years and finally yielded, I believe.
Jim Paslawski and JuneRose Jr Futcher: Check out Governor Markell’s ambitious First State Trails and Pathways Initiative: http://trails.delaware.gov/
I happen to be a homegrown DE gal and follow these programs. Now, I have been speaking up about Cape Henlopen Dr; speeding, greater signage, flashing speed control lights (?)& pot-holes to our legislators. Motorists oftentime hit 50 and with increasing bike volume due to GP trail nevermind routine cycling year round, the speeding has got to stop.
JuneRose Jr Futcher At 20mph, 9 out of 10 pedestrians survive a crash. At 40mph, 9 out of 10 pedestrians die. When it comes to pedestrian (and cyclist) safety, there is no more important issue than speed. Here’s a slide from yesterday’s “Vision Zero” conference in Philadelphia: https://twitter.com/bcgp/status/672524240940376065
YAY!!!
YAY!!!
Sometimes I worry when I ride my beach cruiser on the beach along Rehoboth bay that I may be getting too much salt water and sand on my bike
Chuck Davidson Rinse with fresh water.
lol, and oil the chain. I always forget. Love my fat tire beach cruiser with a basket on the front for driftwood
I believe American Disability Act demands paved trails for complete and total accomodation and access for mobility. A professional landscape architect explained that to me that after 2014 all community trails by state and federal funding are to be paved. This is done regardless of bicycle types; cruisers, road and trail bikes.
The Lewes Partnership for Managing Growth is trying so hard to get that message out and heard. We have to all write Sussex County Council and demand long term planning that includes pedestrian, bikers, less car-centric development and more respect for the environment. Those people work for us. I get so sad when I see all the trees and farmland turned into houses and pavement.
We need to find people in other districts who will push.
When do they meet?
JuneRose Jr Futcher, this trail is being built by DelDOT, using federal transportation dollars, which requires that it be paved so that it is a year-round accessible transportation facility.
That’s what I have learned and why Gordon’s Pond was under the 2014 installation of federal law and the new trail linking Lewes to JBT was paved.
Great so make more trails that are paved and we’ll have more runoff. Richard drive your car to the start of the trail and quit being a jerk. You’re probably one of the cyclists that give us a bad name. They’re finally making trails that are road bike worthy and you just want to complain. There’s always a negative nancy and you are her!
Chris Preston , the point raised by Richard Oller is not just a matter of convenience. It is also a matter of equity. For people who don’t own a car, a trail that is not accessible except by car might as well not exist at all.
Sorry but his point still isn’t valid. He can easily ride to the trail from Rehoboth. J&B goes through protected areas and should NEVER get paved. He can do what I and others have done for years in the Rehoboth area. If it’s a matter of equity then we need to make a path from Seaford to Georgetown too. You’re more likely to get hit on roads on the western side of the county because there’s little to no shoulder on most of them.
Long, overdue
Chris, I don’t mean to go off here but you don’t know me from Adam. I ride 1500-2000 miles a year on all kinds of roads and trails. The stretch of highway between Rehoboth and Lewes is one of the most dangerous stretches of road I ride. (As proven by the number of cyclist deaths over the years) The posted bike lane also serves as a bus lane, a right hand turn lane and a jackass driver lane as well. I have had several near misses myself over the years.
Chris Preston, we love the J&B, even unpaved. We leave our skinny tire road bikes at home and use hybrids or mountain bikes to ride it. As for Seaford to Georgetown….that’s an interesting idea. Would you mind if we stole it and pretended that it’s ours?
Seaford to Gtown would be a tough one but if connected would probably be a good 50 mile round trip. I’m sure there’s a railroad track that goes that way but I don’t know where it does. I hated riding around Bridgeville because of the lack of shoulders and blind curves.
Need to lobby the open space council to purchase land for a cross county. There’s enough green areas to get close now
I understand the concern with a “high end” road bike picking up dirt on the unpaved portions of the J&B. I have to wash down my bike regularly when I’ve been riding on the trail. I have a harder time understanding reluctance to take a high end road bike on the roads to get to a paved trail.
Chris Preston, keep an eye out here for some good news on Bridgeville next week.
Good news would be great but I’m in Lewes area now. I won’t be far from the Lewes-Gtown rails to trails. But longer rides across the county would be great. The coastal highway crosswinds can be brutal and suck the life out of you.
It sounds like this will be a bike trail and not a walking trail? I love the unpaved walking trails in the area. I don’t need concrete or “black top” paths through nature areas when I go walking.
If you are pushing a baby stroller or rollerblading or in a wheelchair or jogging, you can use this trail 365 days a year. It will also be good for every type of bike, from road to hybrid to mountain to cruiser. And it will connect people living west of Route 1 to Lewes and Rehoboth and Cape Henlopen, who will be able to access destinations without a car. The trail will be in a railroad right of way not in a state park.
I know where it is. The railroad track parallels the street in my development. I may use it to walk into Lewes sometime.
You are lucky, Lynn Boyer Williams! This will be an incredible asset for your development, and great for property values too, if that matters to you.
I like to start on the Gordon Pond trail biking to Herring Point for shells, Lewes for breakfast and then Rehoboth for lunch
It’s nice to see this finally happening. Thanks to BikeDE for it’s advocacy work to push for this. Any idea what the schedule is for the remaining phases?
Now that the contract has been awarded for Phase I, DelDOT is getting to work on the design of Phase II (which has some serious issues topographical and wetlands issues that need to be resolved). That design phase will take at least a year.
Off the road, not in a breakdown lane, thank you, it’s about time!!!
Now if they can add a shoulder to new road
I hope they dredge out the current drainage next to the train tracks. Right now.. It is standing water after a rain in covey creek. Actually, drain pipe should be put in.
Can’t wait! !!!!!
This is wonderful news.
Pitty the article was written in such a fashion (too much sarcasm and backhanders) to really appreciate the telling of positive news.
The “we” concept in the bicycling culture is one of the things that makes it good. The camaraderie is different than with other activities and sports and organizations like Bike Delaware give our culture a voice. If you only see your relationship with bicycling as a strictly personal endeavor and are unable to celebrate the wins for the community that in the long run still indirectly benefit you, then your opinion and the limited scope it is based on has little meaning. It’s like one person in a car sharing their opinion about their commute home having too many stop lights.
I hate those damn lights lol
Wow! Thank you, Ben Jones!
I love riding the 16+ mile loop that includes the Gordon Pond and J&B trails. It offers a fascinating diversity of views and riding experiences, including dunes and salt marshes; woods and corn fields; cottages and mansions; asphalt, concrete, and crushed stone; overlooks and boardwalks; the Cape May-Lewes Ferry; the State Park; and historical markers, military installations, and cannons! Just to name a few. 🙂 I feel very fortunate to have all this readily available to me.
[…] Early in December, all of us received the best Christmas present for cyclists when contracts were awarded to begin Phase 1 of the Lewes-Georgetown Trail. […]
On January 27, 2019, I walked under Route 1 when I wanted to bike this awesome newly paved bike trail converted from a rail. I just didn’t know in time that this Sunday was going to be a warm day. Way to go Delaware!
It would be great if you could give an actual address for where the trailhead is in Georgetown.