On April 30, 2008, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) signed the Record of Decision (ROD) approving the Green North + Spur Road as the selected alternative for new US 301. The signing of the ROD by FHWA allows DelDOT to move forward to the next phases of the project including property acquisitions and final design. [press release]

The Selected Alternative, Green North + Spur Road, will provide a new four lane tolled US 301 (2 lanes in each direction) limited access roadway on new location, extending generally northward from the Maryland/Delaware state line, west of Middletown, to the vicinity of Armstrong Corner Road, where the new US 301 mainline will curve and extend northeast, crossing over existing US 301, the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and existing SR 896 (Boyds Corner Road) before curving and extending east and tying into SR 1, north of the Biddles Corner Toll Plaza and south of the CD Canal.

Near Armstrong Corner Road, a two-lane (one lane in each direction), limited access, tolled Spur Road will extend north from new US 301, on new location to interchange with SR 15/SR 896 south of Summit Bridge and the C&D Canal.

New US 301 will provide interchanges with: Levels Road, existing US 301 north of Armstrong Corner Road, Jamison Corner Road, and SR 1 north of the Biddles Toll Plaza and south of the C&D Canal. The Spur Road will provide interchanges with new US 301 near Armstrong Corner Road and SR 896/Bethel Church Road extended (toll-free), south of Summit Bridge.

The project is described in greater detail in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), approved November 30, 2007 and issued on December 14, 2007 and in the ROD.

Approval of the ROD was preceded by the WILMAPCO Council approval of amendments to the Long Range Regional Transportation Plan (RTP-2030), the 2008-2011 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP), the draft 2009-2012 TIP, and the updated regional air quality conformity analysis, to include the US 301 project. In addition, FHWA, the Federal Transit Administration and the United States Environmental Protection Agency concurred in the updated regional air quality analysis and FHWA approved the revised State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). These approvals were required prior to FHWA's execution of the ROD, which is the final FHWA approval of the Green North + Spur Road selected alternative.

CURRENT STATUS/NEXT STEPS

Final Design

Now that the FHWA has approved the Green North + Spur Road as the selected alternative, final design of the new roadway will get underway shortly. DelDOT has retained four teams to provide final design services. The project is contemplated to be designed and constructed in four main sections:

Section Description

1. US 301 - East of Norfolk Southern Railroad to SR 1
2. US 301 - North of Levels Road to East of Norfolk Southern Railroad
3. US 301 - MD/DE Line to North of Levels Road
4. Spur Road - New US 301 to SR15/SR896, South of Summit Bridge

Right-of-Way Acquisition

The signing of the ROD clears the way for DelDOT to secure FHWA approval to use federal funds to acquire the Right-Of-Way needed to build new US 301. DelDOT is currently working with property owners who have requested early acquisition of their property. DelDOT has sent letters to property owners whose entire property may be needed for the new US 301 and has met with many property owners. These activities will continue during the final design phase.

Resource Agency Coordination

Consultation and coordination, including working sessions, with the federal and state environmental and regulatory resource agencies will continue throughout the design phase of the project.

Public Outreach

Public outreach has been and will continue to be an important part of the US 301 project. As the 301 project moves into the final design and acquisition of right-of-way phase, the 301 project team will continue to meet with property owners, elected officials, businesses, churches, communities, civic groups and others. In addition, information will be provided on the 301 website, through newsletters, at public workshops and through various media outlets.

US 301 Funding Concept

The funding concept for new US 301 has three goals:

• To implement new US 301 while minimizing its impact on the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) and the statewide Capital Transportation Plan (CTP),
• To not negatively affect DelDOT's strong bond rating (Moodys = Aa3 and S&P = AA+), and
• To have those who use new US 301 pay for it.  DelDOT has determined that a funding concept that utilizes bonds, supported by toll revenues, is the best approach to meet these funding goals.

Below are two charts detailing the Estimated Costs (in years of expenditure dollars), along with the proposed Sources of Funds for the US 301 project:

* Note: Total Cost in Year of Expenditure (YOE) millions of dollars, includes projected inflation, based on Joint FHWA/DelDOT Cost Review (January 7-10, 2008)

To view DelDOT's April 10, 2008 presentation to the WILMAPCO Council on the US 301 Funding Concept, please click here. Please note that the "Current Activities and Next Steps" slide has been updated.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS

Comments or questions regarding the US 301 project can be directed to DelDOT Public Relations, at 1-800-652-5600 or 302-760-2080 (in DE). Written comments or questions can be sent to DelDOT Public Relations, PO Box 778, Dover, DE 19903.