Lewes: Minos Conaway Road closure runs through Sept. 14

Minos Conaway Road is closed between State Route 1 and Nouveau Avenue near Lewes while DelDOT builds a traffic circle. The closure began July 13 and is projected to remain in place through Sept. 14, 2026, weather permitting.

The work is an active construction phase of DelDOT’s larger Minos Conaway Road Grade Separated Intersection Project. Drivers, commuters, delivery operators and nearby businesses should expect detours and allow additional time for trips through the Route 1, Route 9 and Five Points area.

What is closed

DelDOT’s temporary route restrictions list identifies the closed segment as Minos Conaway Road between State Route 1 and Nouveau Avenue. The immediate purpose is construction of a traffic circle near Route 1.

The projected Sept. 14 date applies to this closure phase. It is not a guaranteed reopening date, and DelDOT’s restriction notice describes the schedule as weather permitting.

How the detours work

Resident-facing detour guidance directs southbound Route 1 drivers to continue past Minos Conaway Road, turn right onto Route 9, and then turn right onto Minos Conaway Road.

Drivers traveling east on Route 9 should continue past Minos Conaway Road and use the jug handle at the Five Points intersection to reach northbound Route 1. Drivers on Minos Conaway Road who need access to Route 1 should use Route 9.

Those routes may add distance or delay, particularly during busy periods at Five Points. DelDOT’s guidance does not provide a measured travel-time increase, so the practical effect will vary by starting point, destination and traffic conditions.

The larger project continues into 2029

The roundabout is only one part of a multiyear project. DelDOT’s project timeline shows the overall work began in July 2025 and is scheduled to end in February 2029, with the schedule dependent on weather.

Later phases include additional work around Route 1, Nassau Road, New Road and the Nassau bridges, including new ramps, service roads, roundabouts, lane construction and final paving and striping. The timeline separates the current Minos Conaway detour from those later phases.

DelDOT’s Five Points Transportation Study identifies the Route 1 and Route 9 intersection in the Lewes area as a focus for congestion, capacity and safety improvements. The agency says the Minos Conaway project is part of broader implementation work in that transportation network, but the desired long-term outcomes should not be treated as complete while construction remains underway.

What Lewes-area travelers should watch

For now, drivers should plan around the closure rather than rely on direct access between Minos Conaway Road and Route 1. Commuters and delivery operators may want to build extra time into trips using Route 9 or the Five Points intersection. Nearby businesses may also see customers and service vehicles arrive through different approaches during the closure.

Because Sept. 14 is a projected date, residents and businesses should check DelDOT’s current restriction information for schedule changes before making time-sensitive trips. The larger project will continue well beyond the expected end of this temporary road closure.

Sources

• DelDOT temporary route restrictions
• Cape Gazette road notice