Bicyclists can pedal along the corridor of Coastal Highway with a little more reassurance, thanks to a program that began this week with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) installing 11.5 miles of bicycle-friendly rumble strips along the 17 miles of roadway between Dewey Beach and Fenwick Island.
“This corridor between Dewey and Bethany is particularly dangerous,” said DelDOT Secretary Carolann Wicks at a meeting at the Dewey Lifesaving station last Friday. “There’s a lot of road and not always a lot to keep drivers’ attention. It’s not densely developed, and that’s what attracts many bikers.”
The 17-mile stretch, running just south of Dewey Beach to just north of Fenwick Island, was deemed an area of high concern after DelDOT’s review of the roadway determined that more than 33 percent of the 179 crashes that occurred in the corridor were run-off-the-road crashes, resulting in a fatality. Of that 33 percent, nine involved a vehicle striking a cyclist who was outside the vehicular travel lane.
In July 2007, Dr. John G. Griffith, a cancer specialist at Johns Hopkins University, lost his life while repairing his bicycle, when a motorist apparently fell asleep behind the wheel and his vehicle drifted off the road. Griffith’s death sparked state officials to investigate whether rumble strips were needed for the safety of cyclists riding through the area.
The rumble-strip project is the first of its kind in the state, as it utilizes cyclist-friendly rumble strips. The divots now carved into the north- and south-bound shoulders have proven to be just as effective as traditional rumble strips in preventing accidents, though they measure 8 inches off the motorists’ travel lane, 12 inches wide and 3/8 inches deep, compared to typical rumble strips that are deeper and take up more of the shoulder.
And 10-foot gaps spaced every 30 feet will allow cyclists easier traveling across the highway. Rumble strips will stop at approaching driveways, intersections and other entrances, as well. Input for the project was gathered from members of the Delaware Bicycle Council and Sussex Cyclists.
“The project benefits so many people,” added Donna Hardy, a Transportation Safety Program engineer for DelDOT. “The situation along Coastal Highway is unique. We have many bikers that come through this area, and it’s important to consider their safety as well as drivers on the road.”
“It’s really an easy decision,” said Darrell Cole, DelDOT’s director of public relations. “The project’s only $50,000 and it takes five days to complete. There’s no reason not to. This is a great way to keep people safe on Delaware roads.”