A new spillway is being constructed on Nanticoke Road. (Todd Dudek Photo)

A $300,000 emergency project to replace a drain pipe on Nanticoke Road could be completed by mid-August, depending on weather conditions.

After heavy rain last week, State Highway Administration officials investigated damage to the pipe at Nanticoke, between Oliver Drive and Rockawalkin Road, just west of Salisbury, and determined it had to be replaced, explained Dave Buck, who handles public relations for the SHA.

The pipe connects Rockawalkin Creek with a pond on the north side of MD 349, known as Nanticoke Road.

The road was closed to motorists as engineers evaluated the area, which includes a nearby earthen dam.

Meantime, motorists are detouring on Rockawalkin and Levin Dashiell roads.

The original 36-inch corrugated metal pipe is being replaced with a concrete pipe.

“They are really working to get a project that could have taken a lot longer, done pretty quickly.

“The contractor from Bridgeville is really making good progress. The big challenge is the depth. They had to go down 12 to 15 feet. The whole road is cut open, wide open. The stabilization of the area, because it’s so large, takes a fair amount of time,” Buck said.

Last week, a rain storm dumped 5 to 9 inches in the area, an amount only seen every 100 years or so, Buck said.

“The rain water just sat there. It wasn’t moving. It overwhelmed the pipe,” he said.

He said he’s confident work will be done by mid-August, possibly sooner.

“As we get through to end of the job, when we restabilize it, put the fill and everything back in, when we pave, that requires decent weather,” Buck said.