BREAKING NEWS: Gov. Markell scales back driving restrictions; many roads still closed

Level 2 Driving Restriction Reduced to Level 1 Driving Warning; Evacuation Areas Remain In Effect, And Entry Will Be Denied, While Flooding Is Assessed.

Wilmington - Following an examination of road conditions by state highway crews and discussions with emergency management officials, Governor Jack A. Markell has scaled back the state’s driving restrictions throughout the State of Delaware.

Effective as of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, Governor Markell lifted the Level 2 Driving Restriction and instituted a Level 1 Driving Warning throughout the state. Highway crews, troopers and other emergency officials began inspections of road conditions in early morning hours and will continue those efforts throughout the day. Because of heavy flooding and other damage, the previously-designated Evacuation Areas are still in effect and should not be entered at this time.

A complete list of the Evacuation Areas statewide can be found on the DEMA home page. The DEMA home page also includes maps of the Evacuation Areas for New Castle County, Kent County and Sussex County.

Although motorists are permitted to return to the roads, drivers are advised that many highways and streets remain closed as a result of storm-related damage. The high tide cycle that will move up the ocean coast and then the Delaware Bay and River between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. today may cause additional flooding and closures. The most recent listing of road closures and roads with water on them is set forth below, and may be found on DelDOT’s home page.

“Without minimizing the very real damage and destruction caused by this storm, particularly in our coastal areas, it thankfully appears that Hurricane Sandy did not cause the widespread statewide damage that the forecasts predicted as recently as yesterday afternoon,” said Governor Markell. “For that reason, it is appropriate to scale back driving restrictions across our state, while keeping the evacuation order in place in our hard-hit coastal and other flood-prone areas.”

Law enforcement and local officials will be preventing access to those areas until assessments can be made. City and county officials will decide when access to those areas will be allowed.

“Although travel will be possible through much of the state this morning, this is not a signal for people with homes and businesses in the seriously flooded areas to head back to check on damage. Access will be restricted in those areas while damage is assessed,” Gov. Markell said.

The state is remaining under a Level 1 Driving Warning due to numerous road closures for flooding, signal outages, and remaining impacts from both the storm and this morning’s high tides that may cause additional flooding in some areas.

All drivers are urged to exercise particular caution in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, and to be mindful of the road closures set forth below. There are also at least 16 traffic signals that are out, so motorists should be careful.

DART Transit Service will begin a “Saturday” level of service at 10 a.m. DART Paratransit will resume at 10 a.m., however will only be making medical trips. Tolls on I-95 will resume at noon and on Route 1 at 3 p.m.

List of Road Closures And Water On Road from DelDOT:

Sussex County:

· DE54 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 Beathany 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 RT1 Due to High Water

· FOWLER BEACH RD IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO EROSION /BETWEEN THE SLAUGHTER CREEK BRIDGE AND THE BAY

· CEDAR CREEK DRAWBRIDGE IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

· RT1 CLOSED BETWEEN RT54 & RT26

· 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