SR 72 Improvements

The Contractor has shifted traffic into the Phase 4 configuration from Willamette Drive to the SR 1 interchange. Two lanes of traffic are open in each direction along SR 72. Expect periodic single lane closures along SR 72 through the Spring of 2025.

The Contractor has shifted traffic into Phase 3 configuration from the Chandeleur Woods Subdivision Entrance to American Blvd Intersection to complete median work on SR 72.

As part of the ongoing Phase 2 construction work, the contractor will close Wilson Blvd at the SR 72 intersection for approximately 5 days to complete pavement construction work.

The following movements at the intersection will not be permitted during this period.

• Delaware Route 72 Northbound left turns
• Delaware Route 72 Southbound right turns
• Wilson Blvd Northbound right, thru, and left turns
• Kathleen Wilbur Elementary Exit thru Movements

Expect delays during the work period. All lanes at the intersection will be reopened by 12:00 am on Monday, August 5th, pending weather. Detour information for the closure of Wilson Blvd is provided below or as shown on the Detour Map.

• Detour – Northbound Delaware Route 72 left turn onto Wilson Blvd

• For traffic normally accessing Wilson Blvd from Delaware Route 72 northbound:

• Detour route along Delaware Route 72 northbound will have vehicles continue northbound on Delaware Route 72 to make a left onto Delaware Route 71, make a left at Kirkwood St. Georges Road, make a left at McCoy Road to access Wilson Blvd.

• Detour – Southbound Delaware Route 72 right turn onto Wilson Blvd

• For traffic normally accessing Wilson Blvd from Delaware Route 72 southbound:

• Detour route along Delaware Route 72 southbound will have vehicles continue southbound on Delaware Route 72 to make a right onto McCoy Road to access Wilson Blvd.

• Detour – Wilson Blvd Northbound on approach to Delaware Route 72

• or traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 72 at Wilson Blvd

• Detour route along Wilson Blvd will have vehicles continue eastbound on Wilson Blvd to make a right at McCoy Road, make a right at Kirkwood St. Georges Road, make a right at Delaware Route 71 to access Delaware Route 72.

As part of the ongoing Phase 2 construction work, the contractor will close the southerly Delaware Route 71 leg of the Delaware Route 72 and Delaware Route 71 intersection for approximately 5 days to complete pavement work.

The following movements at the intersection will not be permitted during this period:

• Delaware Route 71 Northbound right, thru, and left turns
• Delaware Route 71 Southbound thru
• Delaware Route 72 Northbound left turns
• Delaware Route 72 Southbound right turns

Expect delays during the work period. All lanes at the intersection will be reopened by 12:00 am on Saturday, July 27th, pending weather.

Detour information for the closure of the southerly Delaware Route 71 leg is provided below or as shown on the Detour Map.

• Detour – Northbound Delaware Route 72 left turn onto southbound Delaware Route 71

• For traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 71 southbound from Delaware Route 72 northbound:

• Detour route along Delaware Route 72 northbound will have vehicles continue northbound on Delaware Route 72 to make a left onto Porter Road, make a left at Delaware Route 896 and a left at Howell School Road to access Delaware Route 71

• Detour – Southbound Delaware Route 72 right turn onto southbound Delaware Route 71

• For traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 71 southbound from Delaware Route 72 Southbound:

• Detour route along Delaware Route 72 southbound will have vehicles turn right at Porter Road, turn left at Delaware Route 896, turn left at Howell School Road to access Delaware Route 71 southbound

• Detour – Northbound Delaware Route 71 on approach to Delaware Route 72

• For traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 71 northbound at Delaware Route 72:

• Detour route along Delaware Route 71 northbound will have vehicles turn left at Howell School Road, right at Summit Bridge Road, right at Porter Road, right at Delaware Route 72 to access Delaware Route 71 northbound

• Detour – Southbound Delaware Route 71 through movement across Delaware Route 72 onto southbound Delaware Route 71

• For traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 71 southbound at Delaware Route 72:

• Detour route along Delaware Route 71 southbound will have vehicles turn right at Delaware Route 72, a left at Porter Road, a left at Summit Bridge Road, and finally a left at Howell School Road to access Delaware Route 71 southbound

As part of the ongoing Phase 1 construction work, the contractor will close the northerly Delaware Route 71 leg of the Delaware Route 72 and Delaware Route 71 intersection for approximately 4-5 days to complete pavement work.

The following movements at the intersection will not be permitted during this period:

• • Delaware Route 71 Southbound right, thru, and left turns

• • Delaware Route 71 Northbound thru

• • Delaware Route 72 Southbound left turns

• • Delaware Route 72 Northbound right turns

Once construction of the northerly Delaware Route 71 leg is complete, the contractor will pave the center of the intersection and the center of Delaware Route 72 across the Red Lion Hundred shopping center entrance for approximately 2-3 days. The following movements at the intersection will not be permitted during this period:

• • Delaware Route 72 left turns onto Delaware Route 71

• • Delaware Route 71 thru

• • Delaware Route 71 left turns from 8 pm to 5 am

Expect delays during the work period. Upon completion of the intersection work, traffic will be shifted onto the new pavement constructed in Phase 1 and Phase 2 construction will begin. All lanes at the intersection will be reopened by 5am on Monday, September 12th. Detour information for the closure of the northerly Delaware Route 71 leg is provided below or as shown on the Detour Map.

For traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 71 northbound from Delaware Route 72 southbound:

• • Detour route along Delaware Route 72 southbound will have vehicles turn left onto Porter Road, a right onto Old Porter Road and a right onto County Road to access Delaware Route 71 Northbound

For traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 71 northbound from Delaware Route 72 northbound:

• • Detour route along Delaware Route 72 northbound will have vehicles continue on Delaware Route 72 northbound past Delaware Route 71, make a right onto Porter Road, a right onto Old Porter Road to access Delaware Route 71

For traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 71 southbound at Delaware Route 72:

• • Detour route along Delaware Route 71 southbound will have vehicles turn right onto Old Porter Road, left onto Porter Road to access Delaware Route 72

For traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 71 northbound at Delaware Route 72:

• • Detour route along Delaware Route 71 northbound will have vehicles turn left onto Delaware Route 72 northbound, turn right onto Porter Road, turn right onto Old Porter Road to access Delaware Route 71

Detour information for the closure of the center of the Delaware Route 71 and Delaware Route 72 intersection is provided below or as shown on the Detour Map.

For traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 71 southbound from Delaware Route 72 northbound:

• • Detour route along Delaware Route 72 northbound will have vehicles continue northbound on Delaware Route 72 to make a left onto Porter Road, make a left at Delaware Route 896 and a left at Howell School Road to access Delaware Route 71

For traffic normally accessing Delaware Route 71 northbound at Delaware Route 72:

• • Detour route along Delaware Route 71 northbound will have vehicles turn left onto Howell School Road, turn right onto Summit Bridge Road, turn right onto Porter Road to access Delaware Route 72

As part of the ongoing Phase 1, Stage 1 construction work, the center pavement of SR 72 will be reconstructed from about 500’ east of American Boulevard/Connell Drive intersection to just west of Fieldstone Crossing Drive. Northbound SR 72 traffic will be shifted onto the newly constructed pavement. The work will be completed in 3 – 350’ long sections. Left turn movements will be restricted in work areas under construction.

As part of the ongoing Phase 1, construction work, improvements will be made to the Kathleen Wilbur Elementary School Entrance.  The work will be completed in two stages and will temporarily change internal access to the elementary school and STATS Sports Complex. During the first stage, the northbound SR 72 right turn lane to the school will be removed. Right turn movements to the school will be made from the through travel lane. During the second stage, the separate northbound SR 72 right turn lane will be provided to access the school. The improvements will be completed prior to first day of school in late August.

As part of the ongoing Phase 1 construction work, the center pavement of SR 72 will be reconstructed from just east of American Boulevard/Connell Drive intersection for a 500’ length.  Northbound SR 72 traffic will be shifted onto the newly constructed pavement. Left turn movements will be maintained at the American Boulevard/Connell Drive signalized intersection. Northbound SR 72 left turn movements to residences within the work area will be prohibited.

The weekend work and detours scheduled for the weekend of November 18^th to November 21^st have been cancelled and will be rescheduled in the future.

Nighttime pavement patching operations will occur Monday through Thursday throughout the week of October 3^rd. Beginning Friday night, October 7^th at 8PM, through Saturday morning, October 8^th at 6AM, SR 72 will be reduced to a single lane under a flagging operation from the train tracks north of Willamette Drive to the SR 72 and SR 71 intersection to install an asphalt overlay. Expect delays. Beginning Saturday morning, October 8^th at 6AM, through Saturday evening, October 8^th, southbound SR 72 will be closed from the intersection of SR 71 to south of Wilson Blvd. For those travelling on southbound SR 72, the following detour route will be utilized:

• • The detour route will instruct drivers on southbound SR 72 to turn left onto northbound SR 71, continue northbound on SR 71 and turn right onto Church Rd. Continue south on Church Rd and turn right at the stop sign onto southbound SR 7, continue southbound on SR 7 to access destinations along SR 72.

All movements will be maintained from Wilson Boulevard leg and the Wilbur School elementary school entrance leg.

View Detour Map

During the detour, access to private driveways and businesses will be maintained. During the detour, access to southbound SR 72 from the businesses at the Red Lion Hundred will be detoured to Old Kirkwood Road and to northbound SR 71 along the signed detour route. Southbound SR 72 will be reopened to motorists and SR 72 will be shifted into the Phase 1 traffic pattern by Monday morning at 5 am.

Project Construction will begin with nightwork the week of September 19^th. The work will include a hot-mix pavement overlay of the southbound shoulder and travel lane to provide a smooth riding throughout the duration of Phase 1 of the project construction.

DelDOT is holding a public information session to update the public on construction of the SR 72 Improvements Project. The public is invited to attend the meeting at 5:30pm for a video presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. A link to the video being shown at the meeting is available on the homepage of the www.sr72improvements.com website.