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A couple of weeks ago I invited those who travel along Old Furnace Road to offer their comments regarding the narrow bridge near the intersection with Middleford Road.
This was in response to an email I received from Anthony Manzella of the Delaware Dept. of Transportation (DelDOT) stating that contractors for DelDOT will be conducting field investigations as part of the Old Furnace Road and Middleford Road Improvements Study project near Seaford.
Starting this week I will be sharing some of the concerns from area residents.
Senator Richardson
Whether you pass this along to DelDOT is up to you. I just wanted to offer my two cents worth.
I understand that the bridge is old. I was told by neighbors decades ago that it was “historic” and "would never would be replaced.”
It is so narrow that I grip the steering wheel when passing opposing traffic in our truck — or wait to let bigger vehicles cross alone. I have enough patience to do that.
I lived through replacement of the other bridge in that area, about 20 years ago, going WAY out of my way to get to Route 13 so I could drive to work. It took months and months, and even after the bridge surface was complete and the street repaved, the road block continued for more months until they put up the guard rail. There was NO good reason for that continued delay. It was a trying time in my life and the extra time required for the detour added stress and frustration.
From the intersection of Old Furnace Road and Old Meadow Road to Walmart, it is 2.2 miles.
Without the bridge, it is 10.2 miles and 15 minutes if you go north, or 5.8 miles and 12 minutes if you go south.
Likewise, for emergency vehicles to come from Seaford to that area, 10 minutes will be added to response time.
I have also heard there may be plans to put a roundabout at the intersection of Middleford Road and Old Furnace Road. Yes, traffic backs up occasionally, but clears in a reasonable amount of time. If people can’t just be patient, wouldn’t a traffic light be cheaper?
On June 21, 2021, I asked, out of curiosity, why DelDOT kept coming back with survey equipment to the two bridges on Old Furnace Road between Middleford Road and Old Meadow Road. I had seen men there on probably six or seven occasions over several months, and continued to see them there occasionally.
I hope that whatever work is done, the planning for it will be thorough and preparations made in advance to inconvenience residents for as little time as possible. There are people who live between the two bridges, on either side of Old Furnace Road, and even more people who live down the narrow macadam road (owner of the property at the end calls it Mellin Road) that is a continuation of Middleford Road going north. To my knowledge, there is no other way out of that area than the aforementioned intersection.
The owner of Middleford Deli made it through one bridge closure. Will she survive another.
Carol Kinsley
Seaford
I will be running more emails in the next few weeks. You still have time to send your observations and suggestions on how to replace the bridge and at the same time minimize the inconvenience an extended period of detours would cause.
Send you comments to [email protected] and I will pass them along to DelDOT.
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