Brady PieperThe Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) is adopting a new Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for 2025 and a strategic plan to enhance critical infrastructure and transportation systems in New Jersey and Delaware. The new CIP and strategic plan, approved during the DRBA commissioners’ board meeting, serves as a short- and mid-term planning tool for infrastructure and resource allocation over the next half-decade.
“As public stewards of some important regional transportation assets, the Authority will continue to make necessary and prudent investments in our family of transportation services that will benefit our customers,” DRBA Chief Operations Officer Vince Meconi said. “This CIP is an investment in our collective future.”
The $178.5 million bi-state initiative consists of $131.7 million in DRBA funding, in addition to nearly $46.8 million from federal, state and local partners. The capital program and plan are designed to address the needs of DRBA’s key transportation assets, including bridges, ferries and airports.
In the five-year strategic plan, DRBA outlines 120 new and existing major capital projects across all agency-operated facilities.
As DRBA operates in both New Jersey and Delaware, some highlighted projects will be developed at the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, the Forts Ferry, the Millville Executive Airport, the Wilmington Airport, the Delaware Air Park, the Cape May Airport and the Civil Air Terminal.
Among DRBA’s projects, the highest-funded initiatives, including estimated funding allocations and project descriptions, are listed below:
- Annual Vessel Maintenance & Dry Docking at Cape May-Lewes Ferry – Allocated $10.7 million in 2025, the estimated $47.9 million project will seek annual capital expenditures for maintenance initiatives on three vessels. Some maintenance initiatives will include dry-docking, equipment upgrades, system efficiency improvements, generator overhauls and seating replacements.
- New Vessel Design & Construction at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry – DRBA anticipates funding nearly $85 million toward the design and construction of a new ferry vessel to expand the ferry fleet, improving capacity and operational efficiency. The project is estimated to cost $5.4 million in 2025 with a partial contribution of $20 million from the U.S. Maritime Administration.
- Annual Maintenance Bridge Span Painting at the Delaware Memorial Bridge – Nearly $36 million will be allocated over several years to repair the bridge’s coating system by striping and recoating with a protective overcoat system. In 2025, DRBA estimates distributing $7.6 million to the project, in response to annual bridge inspections.
- Annual Bridge Steelwork Repairs at the Delaware Memorial Bridge – The estimated $23.5 million project will repair steelwork after reviews from inspectors. Earmarked for $6.5 million in 2025, the repairs seek to maintain the safety and operational service of the bridge and include replacing worn bearing assemblies, maintaining steel connections and installing safety features.
- Cashless Tolling at the Delaware Memorial Bridge – DRBA anticipates distributing $250,000 in 2025 to a cashless tolling system project on the bridge. Seeking to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow, the estimated $21 million project will design, study and implement a new system that eliminates the need for cash toll booths.
A comprehensive list of CIP projects and other infrastructure improvement and renovation initiatives can be found on DRBA website.
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Chris connelly via Wikimedia Commons
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