Delaware driving restrictions eased; 40,000 residents wake up without power

Driving restrictions in Delaware have now been lifted as of 5pm on Tuesday.  That should be a sign that things will return to normal over the next few days.

 

There are still restrictions in Sussex County and residents are advised to watch for updates on the situation there.

Earlier report:

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Much of the damage from Sandy in Delaware was confined to the coastal areas and sections of the state prone to flooding, but Governor Jack Markell says the state was spared the brunt of the storm.

As a result the state has eased its driving restrictions back to a level 1, which is where the state was before the storm.  That means there has to be a safety, emergency or business to be on the road. 

The Governor warned that people who were left their home because of an evacuation order or because of flooding should not attempt to go back on Tuesday.  He said it still wasn’t safe to do so.  One of the hardest hit areas was Route 1 in Dewey.  DelDOT officials said it would be another 24 hours before the road could be open.  A lot of sand was blown on to the road.  

DART First State has announced that buses will be running on a Saturday schedule today.

The state put out a list of road closures:

Sussex County: 

 

DE 54 between Van Buren Ave & DE 1 – water on road
Old Landing Road between DE 1 & Marsh Road – water on road
Iron Branch Road near Possum Park Road – water on road
Long Neck Road between Pot Nets Road & Massey Landing Road – water on road
DE 54 between DE 1 & Harpoon Hanna’s – water on road
Oak Orchard Road at River Road – water on road
Chiefs Road between Road 297 & Road 312  – water on road
DE 24 between Bay Farm Road & Long Neck Road – water on road
State Forest Road between Bowden’s Garage & Gravally Branch Road – water on road
Road 556 between Stein Highway & Road 556 – water on road
Line Road between Stein Highway & Line Road – water on road
Road 579 between Road 579 & Deer Forest Road – water on road
Atlantic Avenue between Central Ave & Canal St – water on road
Fawn Road between Road 5656 & Road 611 – water on road
RT1 is closed between Dewey Beach and RD360 (Fred Hudson RD – North of Bethany Beach) Due to High Water
Oyster Rocks RD is closed beginning at RT1 for the entire stretch of road with barricades allowing residents to leave, but not return.
Prime Hook RD is closed beginning at RT 1 Due to High Water
Fowler Beach Road is closed until further notice due to erosion between the Slaughter Creek bridge and the bay
Cedar Creek drawbridge is closed until further notice
RT 1 closed between Rt 54 and Rt 26
Long Neck Rd between Rd 22C to Masseys Landing – Closed
Savannah Rd. at Lewes Drawbridge – Closed
Reed St; Bellview; Collins St. at Dewey limits, the whole road. – Closed
Chandler Street at The town limits – Closed
Magnolia St. in Milton at The town limits – Closed
Front Street in Milton at The town limits – Closed
Rt 5 Union St. at The town limits – Closed
West Line Rd. between  Hudson Rd to Lighthouse Rd – Closed
Rt 16 between Graves Farm Rd. to Beach – Closed
Main St. Frankford  – Closed
Beaver Damn rd  – Closed
Gum Rd  – Closed
Snake Road between Mt Pleasant & Woodland Ferry Road – high water
Market Street between Delaware Drive & First St – roof in roadway
S301 between DE 24 & Phillips Branch Road – high water
S221 between S222 & S215 – flooded
S38, entire roadway – flooded
S244 between S38 & beach – flooded
Old Mill Rd between DE 26 & DE 54 – flooded
River Road between S297 & DE24 – flooded

 

Kent County: 

S Market St. / Bennett’s Pier Rd between David Rd. and Frederica Rd.
Cypress Branch Rd. at the bridge has water across the roadway
Big Stone Beach Rd. just north of New Wharf Rd.
Front St in Leipsic – Closed
Rt 9 at S Little Creek Rd – Closed
Market St in Fredericka – Closed
Bennett’s Pier Rd – Closed
Ponderosa Dr between Plaindealing Rd & Nicholas Ln – Closed
Kitts Humock Rd from refuge to the water – Closed
Woodland Beach Rd @ Rt 9 – Closed
Port Mahon Rd – Closed
Rt 8 at Silver Lake Bridge – water on roadway
Haletville Rd between Artis Dr & Wyoming Mill Rd – water on roadway
Westville Rd between Grygo Rd & Mahon Corner Rd – water on roadway   
Hour Glass Rd @ Slaughter Stn Rd – water on roadway
Rt 9 @ Flemings Landing Bridge – water on roadway
Andrew Lake Road – water on roadway
Still Rd @ Mahon Rd – water on roadway
Fire Tower Rd between Tomahawk Rd and Evans Rd  – water on roadway
Fence Post Rd between Olin Dill & Turkey Point – water on roadway
Berrytown Rd at Rt 12 – water on roadway
John Hurd Rd at Spectrum Farms – water on roadway
Mudmill east of Mahan Corner Rd – water on roadway
Graves End Road between RT6 & Lighthouse Road – water on roadway
RT 9 @ M&M Hunting Lodge – water on roadway
Big Oak Rd in front of Big Oak Park – water on roadway
Raymond Neck between Bear Swamp & Big Woods Rd – water on roadway
Pickering Beach Road
Lockwood Chapel Road between Pearson’s Corner Road & Judith Road – water on roadway
Foxhole Road near S Little Creek Road – water on roadway
S Little Creek Road between Horsepond Rd & Little Creek Rd – water on roadway
Fork Landing Rd between Rothermel and Tubmill Pond Rd  – water on roadway
Frederica Rd between Johnny Cake Landing & Rt 1  – water on roadway
Fork Landing Rd between Tub Mill Rd & Carpenter Bridge  – water on roadway
Gyro Rd between Mahon Corner Rd & Westville Rd  – water on roadway
Salsibury Rd between Walker Rd & Rt 8  – water on roadway
Farm Ln Between Olin Dill & Kersey Rd  – water on roadway
LongRidge Rd between Hollets Crn & NCCo Line – Large Tree in Roadway
Daisy Rd at Rt 6 – Large Tree in Road
Killens Pond Rd between Sandbox Rd & Rt 14  – water on roadway

 New Castle County: 

Old State Rd reported with High Water
Old Corbit Rd reported with High Water
RT9 (East of Odessa) reported with High Water
RT 13 SB / Market Street Bridge is closed
In Roseville development, Chestnut Ave. between Rose Cr. and Cedar St. closed due to high water
Philadelphia Pike between Shipley Rd. and Lea Blvd. is flooded
Thomas Corners Rd. between Taylors Bridge Rd. and Thomas Landing Rd. – high water on road
Rt 9 north of Port Penn – Closed
Rt 9 at Twin Bridges – Closed
Old Airport Rd at Nonesuch Creek – Closed
Stanton Christiana Rd at Stanton Overpass – Closed
Old Ogletown Rd at Avon Overpass – Closed
Salem Church Rd at Reybold Rd – Closed
Governor Lea Rd – Closed
Rt 9 at Dobbinsville – Closed
US 40 at School Bell Rd – water on roadway
US 40 at Pleasant Valley Rd – water on roadway
Rt 71 at Old Summit Bridge – water on roadway
Rt 4 between Middleboro Rd & Wood Crest – water on roadway
Mill Creek Rd between Graves Rd & Mendenhall Mill Rd – water on roadway
Brackenville Rd between Old Wilm Rd & Lancaster Pk– Closed
Rolling Mill Rd between Barley Mill Rd & Lancaster Pike – Closed
Barley Mill Rd Between Rolling Mill Rd & Mt Cuba – Closed
Barley Mill Rd Between Brackenville Rd & Rt 82 – Closed
Sharpless Rd between Old Wilm Rd & Rt 82 – Closed
Fox Den Rd between Paper Mill Rd & Polly Drummond Rd – Closed
Rolling Mill Rd between Rt 48 & Rt 82 – Closed
Grubb Rd between Marsh Rd & Coventry – Closed
S Heald St between Rodgers Rd & New Castle Ave – Closed
Gov Printz Blvd – Multiple points – Closed
US13 southbound in area of Hearth Restaurant  – Closed, wires & trees
Welsh Track Rd between Welsh Tract & Ironside Rd – Closed, wires & trees
Woods Rd from Howell School to Porter Rd – Closed, wires & trees
Welsh Tract Rd between Whittaker Rd & Iron Side – Closed, wires & trees

 Over 40,000 people are still without power the majority of them in New Castle County.  The Governor wouldn’tpredict when power could be restored.  He said it depended on when the wind gusts would subside. Delmarva Power officials have taken their automatic prediciton update for restoration of power off line since they can’t make an accurate prediction. There were also over 900 people in shelters overnight. A damage assessment hasn’t been made yet.  DNREC officials believe a beach replenishment program helped stem some of the potential damage.

The Governor said he felt fortunate that Delaware escaped the devastation that is seen in other states. “Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones,” he said.  He didn’t think the information put out earlier in the weekend was over hyped.  But he added, “sometimes you do have to be lucky.”

 

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