DELAWARE — Delaware City Council approved emergency legislation Monday for road improvements tied to the new Kroger Marketplace, paving the way for another major construction project on the city’s congestion-heavy east side.
The legislation authorized the purchase of right-of-way and temporary construction easements for Kroger Marketplace’s Glenn Road improvements, allowing construction to start the first week of June.
“I am excited to say that the project will include a roundabout at the intersection of Glenn Road and Mill Run Crossing, which is also where Nutter Farms Lane will be extended,” City Engineer Johnathan Owen told council.
The city previously approved community reinvestment area (CRA) incentives tied to the Kroger development that helped pay for land needed to improve Glenn Road and build the new roundabout.
“[The agreements] were for the express purpose of incentivizing or inducing the development to upgrade Glenn Road,” Owen said. “Not just for what the development needed, but for the broader city purpose of constructing this roundabout.”
The road upgrades are intended not only to support the new Kroger Marketplace, but also to improve traffic flow more broadly on the city’s east side.
The city’s direct contribution to the project is currently limited to acquiring right-of-way from six nearby parcels. Owen estimated that cost at roughly $17,282, though the agreement allows the city to contribute up to $25,000 if negotiations change.
Outside of those land acquisition costs and potential future incentive agreements, Owen said the city does not otherwise have money invested in the project.
Construction timeline
Owen said the accelerated timeline and emergency legislation was necessary to align the roadwork with Kroger’s construction schedule, but some on council questioned whether the city is layering too much construction onto one area at the same time.
Because Kroger has moved so quickly with their building construction, Owen said the developers want to complete the road improvements quickly to align with the store’s opening.
“June? Really, June,” Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle asked Owen.
“The Point doesn’t open until August 27. I thought we weren’t going to add any more construction right now to that side of town,” she said. “Those people have suffered enough.”
Owen acknowledged the east side has experienced significant road construction in recent months, but said delaying the Glenn Road improvements could create larger traffic and access problems later.
“I think delaying the Glenn Road improvements and not allowing access into the Kroger Marketplace would be problematic in its own right, too,” he said.
Detour routes and traffic patterns
Riggle also questioned the timing of the project, noting Central Avenue is expected to reopen May 27 after a 45-day closure.
“So [Central Avenue] will only be open for three days before we start again,” Riggle said.
Owen said Berlin Township was discussing a detour route involving Curve Road and Lackey Old State Road for motorists that typically use Glenn Road to get to U.S. Route 36 during construction.
He added the average traffic in both directions between Kroger and Meijer to be about 3,600 cars per day — roughly 1,800 in each direction.
Councilman Adam Haynes said he was “still soaking it in” before voting in favor of the emergency clause.
