Delaware faces flooded roads after rainstorm

Several Delaware roads were flooded Thursday morning following more than seven inches of rainfall overnight in parts of the state.

The Delaware Department of Transportation is taking measures to reduce high-water levels and urge the public to be safe on the roads.

“We received a great deal of rain,” said DelDOT spokesman James Westhoff. “Within a short amount of time we had a significant rainstorm last night.”

The water has receded slightly since last night, Westhoff said, and DelDOT hopes the issues will be resolved by the end of the day. He said Thursday’s conditions aren’t out of the ordinary for a flat state like Delaware.

“This is fairly normal. Delaware is a very flat state so when we get a lot of water there’s not a lot of places for it to run,” Westhoff said.

“We already have a lot of storm water management in place. But at some point it comes a point of physics and geography.”

On Thursday morning, DelDOT’s maintenance crews were removing debris along the roadway, clearing the storm drains and grates in an effort to reduce flooding and placing warning signs on flooded roads.

DelDOT asks drivers not to travel along flooded roads. The department advises drivers to turn around and take an alternate route—if that isn’t an option drivers should head to higher ground and wait for the water to subside. DelDOT said drivers must be alert, reduce speed and turn on their car’s headlights.

“After every event we take a look at what happened and what we can do better to address any problems,” Westhoff said. “For this storm we did pre-plan a great deal and deploy our people and resources quickly, but at this point we have to wait until the water recedes.”

Delaware’s Road Conditions:

New Castle County

Roads Closed due to High Water:

None Reported

Trees Down: Frazer Road at Frenchtown Road

Kent County

Roads Closed due to High Water:

Tub Mill Pond Road at Fork Landing

Rothermel Road at Old Cemetery Road

Water on Roadway:

New Burton Road at Webbs Lane

Bowers Beach Road at Bay Road

Sussex County

Roads Closed due to High Water:

Harbeson Road between Forrest Road and Phillips Branch Road

DE 5 at Beaver Dam Road

Long Drain Road and Cross Keys Road

Water on Roadway:

Cave Neck Road at Hudson Road

DE 20 at Chapel Branch

U.S. Route 113 at DE 26

U.S. Route 113 at Melvin Joseph Road

DE 24 at Millsboro Town Limits

Homestead Road at Hardscrabble Road

Hollyville Road  

DE 16 at Reynolds Road

Millsboro Highway at Godwin School Road

Trees Down: Woodland Ferry Road at entrance to Ferry Patriots Way at Sussex Central High School

DE 1 southbound at Clifton Road Snake Road at Bethel