Committee flags DelDOT dispute and supply delays as crosswalk work may not be finished for holiday weekend

Town staff told the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committee that several crosswalk and signal issues could remain unresolved for the Memorial Day weekend, and that supply-chain problems were slowing completion of two crossovers on First and Second streets.

Terry reported the committee does not expect some southside pedestrian push-button crossings to be working this weekend because of what he described as an ongoing issue between DelDOT and the contractor. Committee members discussed calling state representatives to escalate the matter and checked whether temporary officers are available to bolster safety over the weekend.

Terry also described a construction-material delay: a switch from timber to vinyl on a retaining wall after some delivered lumber proved subpar, and an eight-week lead time for replacement lumber that could delay finishing both crossovers. "We switched from timber to vinyl because there's an 8week lead time," Terry said, explaining the material decision and related schedule impacts.

Committee members raised short-term mitigations: keeping temporary officers closer to the boardwalk during peak crowds, confirming signal timing before removing protective bagging on equipment, and asking the police to check with DelDOT. No formal motion or vote on infrastructure action was recorded.

The committee closed by asking staff to follow up with DelDOT and report back; no timetable for completion was specified in the meeting.