Delaware bans driving; closes major bridges
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In Cape May Friday, residents finish boarding up before evacuating. (Kim Paynter/NewsWorks)
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Barry Sharp in front of his home in Wildwood Crest. He has been a resident for 50 years and plans to ride out the storm. (Kimberly Paynter/For NewsWorks)
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The Paradise Motel is boarding up for Hurricane Irene in Wildwood, N.J. (Kimberly Paynter/For NewsWorks)
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A deserted beach at Wildwood Crest. (Kim Paynter/For NewsWorks)
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A police officer is on crowd-control duty outside the Atlantic City Convention Center, which is being used as an evacuation center for hundreds of city residents fleeing the approach of Hurricane Irene. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
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Patience was required for shore evacuees on the Parkway. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
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Hurricane preparation near Washington Mall in Cape May, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
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Traffic jams the Garden State Parkway across the Great Egg Harbor Bay Inlet Bridge near Ocean City, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
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A Superfresh employee replenishes depleted stocks of bottled water at a store in the Northern Liberties. (Peter Crimmins/For NewsWorks)
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The Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter of the Red Cross set up a shelter Friday night at Lincoln High School in Mayfair.
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Home Depot remained open late into the night as residents prepare for the worst as Hurricane Irene makes it's way up the east coast, Thursday Aug. 25, 2011 in Manahawkin, N.J. Tens of thousands of visitors to the New Jersey shore and many residents have begun an orderly exodus after a series of requests to evacuate because of Hurricane Irene. (AP Photo/Joe Epstein)
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Shoppers Friday had to wait in long lines at one Philadelphia market as many stocked up on supplies for Hurricane Irene.
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Governor Jack Markell waived all tolls on Delaware Route 1 to make sure people could evacuate the coastal areas quickly. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)
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The abandoned toll booth on Delaware Route 1 at the Roth bridge. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)
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There were only light winds at 10am Saturday, but the Delaware River was already getting choppy at Delaware City. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)
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Businesses in flood areas were ordered closed by Governor Jack Markell. Crabby Dicks in Delaware City got the message. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)
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Some boaters at the Delaware City marina made last minute preps hoping for the best during Irene. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)
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A Cape May police officer, second from left, talks with a group of surfers on the boardwalk early Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, in Cape May, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
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A parking payment station in Center City Philadlephia is wrapped in plastic. The city is offering free parking during the hurricane. (Tom MacDonald/For NewsWorks)
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Some people turned to movies ahead of Hurricane Irene's visit. A small line formed at the $1 DVD rental stand as some look to keep busy while waiting out the hurricane. (Tom MacDonald/For NewsWorks)
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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie gives a news conference in Trenton, N.J. as the state prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Irene on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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Rain began to fall on the Manayunk Canal around 11 a.m. on Saturday. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)
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Manayunk Brewery is prepared with sandbags and water pumps (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)
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Sandbags sit at the front door of a furniture store on Main Street (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)
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Main Street in Manayunk (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)
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Main Street in Manayunk (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)
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The entire driveway is expected to flood. Building caretaker, Kris Alutius, jokingly calls the Philadelphia Canoe Club
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About 30 members showed up at 8 a.m. on Saturday to help move the boats and equipment. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)
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Whatever can't be moved to higher ground is being tied down at the Philadelphia Canoe Club, including these benches (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)
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Members of the Philadelphia Canoe Club have kayaked inside the building during previous hurricanes. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)
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A house on Main Street along the Manayunk Canal prepares for the storm. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)
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In the Outer Banks of N.C., a fishing pier looses pilings. On Saturday night, Atlantic City, N.J., and other evacuated shore towns stood in the path of the hurricane. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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A man drives his car through a flooded street in New Bern, N.C. With flooding likely here, area motorists have been warned to never drive into standing water. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
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Vehicles sit in flood waters at a auto repair shop in North Carolina on Saturday. Phila. Nutter and other officials are extremely worried about regional flooding. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
NEW at 4:45pm: Delaware will put a driving ban in effect for Sussex County at 6pm, Kent County at 8pm, and New Castle County at 10pm Saturday night. This means all motorists are asked to stay off the road except those who “maintain the health and safety of the people in Delaware by providing services provided by public utilities.”
In addition DelDOT says it will close three major bridges over the C&D canal. The Roth Bridge (Rt.1), the St. George’s Bridge (Rt. 13), and the Reedy Point Bridge (Rt. 9) in Delaware City will be closed at 10pm. Only emergency vehicles will be allowed to drive over them. That leaves only the Summit Bridge connecting Glasgow and Middletown (Rt. 896). “DelDOT will keep that bridge open as long as possible, but when sustained winds reach 45 miles per hour that bridge will be closed as well, spokesperson Gary Laing said in a statement. The statement went on to say the bridges are expected to be open on Sunday morning.
The Governor had been leaning away from an all out driving ban earlier in the day. His order suggests he had to adjust to the changing conditions:
WHEREAS, as a result of the continued dangers posed by Hurricane Irene, the Delaware
State Police has requested that reasonable driving restrictions be instituted statewide.
Earlier at a 2:15 briefing:Delaware Governor Jack Markell has ordered the Indian River inlet bridge closed beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday. It will remain closed for several until divers can determine whether there was any structural damage from Hurricane Irene.
Markell and members of his cabinet gathered this afternoon at the Delaware Emergency Management Headquarters in Smyrna for a storm update. Delaware Department of Transportation Secretary Shailen Bhatt said that high wave action around the bridge could threaten the foundation. Divers would begin checking the structure when the storm lets up, but adds that could take several days. Route 1 beach traffic crosses over the bridge to get into Bethany and Fenwick beaches.
The Governor did not rule out closing the other Route 1 bridge that passes over a body of water. He says high winds could close the Roth Bridge over the C&D canal. He did not want to impose an all out driving ban for the state. He says the toll at the Delaware Toll plaza on I-95 will be waived as of 3 p.m. Saturday for the remainder of the storm.
Markell says storm predictions given to his team call for 8-12 inches of rain. Much of that will happen at night. He said it would be a good idea of residents to wake up once or twice at night.
“They might be surprised by what they will find,” he added.
The Governor has visited two of the state’s shelters. One is in New Castle, the other in Smyrna, where a woman was celebrating her 58thbirthday.
“It’s not like home,” Markell said as he suggested it would be better if people would stay with family, friends, or go to a hotel if needed. He did add that all shelters are safe. “Find a safe place, hunker down, and plan to stay there for awhile,” was his advice to residents.
He did say Delaware shore areas caught one break: low tide is at 2 a.m. Sunday. That’s when the strongest part of the storm will be off the Delaware coast. That could reduce the storm surge. However, he warns, that doesn’t mean there won’t be major flooding. He said DEMA, DelDOT, DNREC, and other state agencies will hit the ground as soon as the storm lets up to assess the damage.
Sussex Officials have set up four shelters now. Three are pet friendly and one is not.
Beacon Middle School
19482 John J. Williams Hwy.
Lewes, DE
(NO PETS)
Indian River H. S.
29772 Armory Road
Dagsboro, DE
(Pets Accepted)
Milford High School
1019 N. Walnut St.
Milford, DE
(Pets Accepted)
Sussex Tech H. S.
17099 County Seat Hwy.
Georgetown, DE
(Pets Accepted)