FENWICK ISLAND – Officials say construction on a long-awaited sidewalk project should be conclude before the start of Fenwick’s summer season.
In mid-March, construction began on a sidewalk project in Fenwick Island. In an update last Friday, Mayor Natalie Magdeburger said crews continue to move south along the five bayside blocks.
“The first block is almost completely finished (in front of Warren’s Station) and the second block should be done early next week,” she said. “With good weather, we are hoping to complete the bulk of the construction in early May and hopefully well before Memorial Day.”
A town-led sidewalk construction project began in earnest last year, when the Fenwick Island Town Council signed off on a contract with Century Engineering to begin design work for the first phase of construction.
With more than $600,000 in funding set aside, officials say the town will install sidewalks along five bayside blocks, beginning in front of Warren’s Station restaurant at Indian Street and moving south toward Dagsboro Street.
“Former Mayor (Vicki) Carmean had worked during her tenure to push the state to build sidewalks and, when the state failed to do so, obtained funding from Representative Ron Gray and the Sussex County Council,” the town said in a social media statement. “With the money obtained, the town can construct five blocks of sidewalk in our northwest area of our commercial district that will benefit pedestrians as well as our businesses.”
Officials say the sidewalk construction project has been 20 years in the making.
And while the town has secured funding for the first phase of construction, officials say they will continue to work with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) to install walkways along the remainder of Coastal Highway.
“We are so excited that we could bring this 20-year-in-the-making project to a successful completion,” Magdeburger said last week. “This is a great addition for Fenwick and our businesses on the north side as well as our entire community.”
