DelDOT secretary briefs Sussex County council on $3.4 billion CTP, explains TIDs and local project priorities

Shante Hastings, secretary of the Delaware Department of Transportation, told the Sussex County Council on Sept. 16 that DelDOT expects roughly $1.1 billion in revenues for fiscal 2026 and a draft FY27–32 capital plan that shows about $3.4 billion in transportation capital spending, with roughly 32% of that earmarked for Sussex County.

Hastings said operating expenses and debt service absorb about 43% of the department’s FY26 resources, leaving about $637 million available for capital that year. "Our goal is 0 at all points in time," she said when describing the department’s safety focus, adding that DelDOT is shifting to a safe-system approach to reduce deaths and serious injuries on state roads.

Why it matters: the CTP and Transportation Improvement Districts, or TIDs, shape where and when state-funded road, bridge and safety projects move forward in Sussex County. Hastings said TIDs let DelDOT and local land‑use agencies predefine boundaries, model expected trips and set service standards so some developments can avoid repeated traffic-impact studies and instead pay fees that stay local to fund planned improvements.

Hastings ran through several projects that will affect county traffic. She said the North Millsboro Bypass is opening in segments (a ribbon cutting was scheduled the following Monday), and that paired widening on Route 113 is already in early design. DelDOT also is advancing grade separations on the 113 corridor and pursuing right-of-way and utility relocations for projects on Route 9, including several total acquisitions that require relocation assistance.

On TIDs, Hastings offered specific local figures for the Henlopen TID: "It's about $331,000,000 worth of transportation improvements," she said, adding that the department expects about $77,000,000 of that to be covered by developer contributions. She told the council the Henlopen TID covers about 24 square miles, proposes roughly 40 intersection improvements and 48 miles of road work; cumulative collections in the Henlopen fund rose from just under $2 million in March to about $4 million, enabling DelDOT to start design efforts on some projects.

Council members asked detailed follow-ups about developer cost shares, whether the percentage formulas are negotiable, and per‑mile construction estimates. Hastings said developer shares are negotiated in agreements with local land‑use authorities and depend on factors such as whether fees are assessed per lot or by square footage; she said a typical TID developer share in the Henlopen example is roughly in the low‑to‑mid 20% range of the TID total.

On costs, Hastings cautioned that right‑of‑way acquisition and utility relocations are often the largest and most variable items. "I can tell you it's several million dollars a mile right now for us, when you all in cost it," she said, noting that some corridor work has required paying more for right of way than for construction.

Hastings also reviewed other TIDs under development, saying a Milton area TID is about 11 square miles (39 intersections, 35 miles analyzed) and that a Roxana TID would be the state's largest when complete (about 37 square miles, 111 intersections, 99 miles analyzed).

Next steps: Hastings encouraged public participation in CTP hearings and said the draft plan and project-portal map are available online for review. Council members thanked DelDOT staff for the briefing and identified continued coordination—especially on right‑of‑way, utilities and scheduling—as essential as the county and state prioritize projects.

Source: Presentation and council Q&A at the Sussex County Council meeting on Sept. 16, 2025.