The Delaware Department of Transportation has confirmed that work is continuing work on protective cable between north and southbound sections of Delaware Route 1.
Cabling and guardrails became a hot topic after a crash that claimed five of six family members when a work truck crossed the median.
Roadway departure crashes are one of DelDOT’s strategic safety emphasis areas, and over the past several years, DelDOT has been installing a high-tension cable barrier system along SR 1 in all identified high-risk areas (around curves, smaller width medians, high traffic volumes, and high crash areas), according to a statement released by Charles “C.R.” McLeoddirector of Community Relations for DelDOT
Beyond installing additional median barrier along our freeways, other programs being implemented related to roadway departure crashes include high friction surface treatments, rumble strips, safety edge, and updated horizontal curve warning signs, according to the statement.
DelDOT listed locations where median cables have been installed in recent years:
- SR 1 – 4.2 miles of High-Tension Cable Barrier (HTCB) from SR 299 to SR 896 – constructed in 2009
- I-495 – 0.85 miles of HTCB from I-95 to US 13 – constructed in 2013
- SR 1 – 2.3 miles of HTCB from Roth Bridge to US 13 – constructed in 2014
- I-95 – 1.2 miles of steel guardrail from north of the Rest Area to north of SR 273 – constructed in summer 2017
- SR 273 – 1.3 miles of steel guardrail in the vicinity of Stafford Way/White Clay Center Drive – constructed in summer 2017
DelDOT will also continue to add median barriers on SR 1 in the near future with another 11.5 miles of cable barriers along SR 1 between Odessa and Smyrna in design scheduled to go to construction by the end of 2018.
Once that section is completed, the next phase will add another 12 miles of barrier along Route 1 south of Smyrna, according to the department
In addition, the Department is planning to place median barrier on I-95 at the Delaware/Pennsylvania state line to about half a mile south of Harvey Road. The barrier would include about 2.5 miles of unprotected median.
There is no indication that DelDOT will speed up installations following the accident.
