A site plan for the Coastal Square Shopping Center as presented to the Worcester County Planning Commission in 2023. The center consists of over 120,000 square feet of leasable floor space and seven proposed out-lots along Route 50 and Samuel Bowen Boulevard.
Intersection improvements expected to cause traffic issues due to widening
Drivers in Worcester County ca n expect delays at the intersection of Routes 50 and 589 until next spring as construction begins on a new commercial center and apartment complex for the West Ocean City corridor.
Starting Nov. 1, intersection improvements are planned for the south side of Route 50 at Racetrack Road (Route 589), including widening and resurfacing of highway lanes, as well as adding a fourth leg to the intersection, according to the State Highway Administration.
Crews will also remove the traffic signal at Brader Lane, the short road that leads traffic to Samuel Bowen Boulevard and the existing Ocean Landings shopping center anchored by Pet Smart, Michaels, and Aldi.
Motorists also can expect 24-hour single-lane closures and flagging operations throughout the duration of the project, scheduled to continue through early 2026.
It’s all part of the opening phase of construction for the 120,500-square-foot Coastal Square commercial development, a mixed-use project that will include a Giant supermarket, apartments, and other retail. Seven additional parcels bordering Route 50 will be set aside for future tenants.
Bill Krapf, the chief development officer from developer LC Management, said they have broken ground on the project and the Giant is expected to open its doors a year from now.
While a site plan for the apartments has yet to clear the approval process with Worcester County planning officials, the 168-unit complex on the property’s west side as presented would include seven buildings, three stories each, with eight units per floor.
Eventually, the project will be anchored by a traffic roundabout, one that acts as an extension of Route 589 that cuts across Route 50 onto the development.
It says “other retail” There are already many vacant stores that can’t be filled. This will be an absolute nightmare. Too many damn people here already.