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Welcome to the SR 72 Improvements Project (from McCoy Road to SR 71) website. This project will reconstruct deteriorating pavement, widen SR 72 to increase traffic capacity and operations, add pedestrian, bicycle and transit facilities, and improve safety. Improvements will begin in Summer 2022 and are expected to be complete by Summer 2024.

View more details and information about the project, or watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlimOeBrmrk

Visit the interactive construction phase map to view specific construction information including closures and detours

Construction Information/Traffic Advisories

Delaware Route SR 72 and Delaware Route 71 Intersection Construction

Location:Delaware Route 72 and Delaware Route 71 Intersection
Dates and Times:Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at 12:00 am through Monday, September 12, 2023, at 5 am, pending weather

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

Center of SR 72 Pavement Reconstruction 

Location:East of American Boulevard/Connell Drive intersection to Fieldstone Crossing Drive
Dates and Times:Monday, June 12, 2023, until Friday, June 23, 2023, pending weather

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.

Kathleen Wilbur Elementary School Entrance Improvements 

Location:SR 72 and Kathleen Wilbur Elementary School Entrance
Dates and Times:Monday, June 12, 2023, until no later than Friday, August 25, 2023, pending weather

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.

Center of SR 72 Pavement Reconstruction 

Location:Just east of American Boulevard/Connell Drive intersection for 500’ length
Dates and Times:3:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 10, 2023, until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 11, 2023, pending weather

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.

Cancelled – Weekend NB SR 72 Pavement Reconstruction

Location:
Dates and Times:November 18th through Monday Morning November 21st

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

SB SR 72 Pavement Overlay

Location:
Dates and Times:Week of October 3rd through Monday Morning October 10th

Nighttime pavement patching operations will occur Monday through Thursday throughout the week of October 3rd.

Beginning Friday night, October 7th at 8PM, through Saturday morning, October 8th 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 8th at 6AM, through Saturday evening, October 8th, 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 Beginning

Location:
Dates and Times:Week of September 19th

Project Construction will begin with nightwork the week of September 19th. 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.

Public Information Session

Location:Wilbur Elementary School – Multipurpose Room
Dates and Times:Wednesday August 31, 5:30PM

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.