Milton ponders future of traffic management

As development and traffic in and around Milton have picked up, both local and state officials are looking to create strategies to solve traffic issues, from speeding to signs to large trucks. 

“We have 19th century street design with 21st century traffic,” Mayor John Collier said. 

First up, traffic issues in town will be discussed by the new Milton Transportation Advisory Group, a committee that will help steer the development of a Milton transportation plan, which is scheduled to conclude this winter or in early 2025. Concurrently, Delaware Department of Transportation is still working on its Route 16 Corridor Study, which is expected to extend through summer 2025 but could go on longer. 

DelDOT spokesman C.R. McLeod said the department worked with the town to identify participants in the group, which includes Collier, Councilwoman Randi Meredith, Town Manager Kristy Rogers, Project Coordinator Tom Quass, Police Chief Derrick Harvey, Milton residents, and officials from Sussex County Planning & Zoning and the Office of State Planning Coordination. 

The group will hold its first meeting at 1 p.m., Monday, April 15, via Zoom, and it will be open to the public. McLeod said the meetings will allow public comment at the end. 

Meanwhile, Milton Town Council held a question-and-answer session with residents April 10 to allow for dialogue with council and DelDOT officials.

Collier said the town has taken some steps already to curb traffic problems in both the present and future, such as reducing speed limits from 25 mph to 15 mph on connector streets, and working with DelDOT to create a transportation improvement district that would mitigate the impact of development and traffic by tying land-use decisions to transportation improvements. He said the town is limited in some of the steps it can take, since most of its main thoroughfares are maintained and controlled by DelDOT.

For those who spoke at the meeting, the biggest issues were speeding and pedestrian safety. Citizens told stories of close calls and fearing for their safety while out walking or just going to their mailbox.

Lindsey Deckard, 207 Atlantic St., said, “Our roads are just not meant to handle what they are handling. Nor are the homes. My house has actually been hit by a car. The only reason I have a bay window is because a car went through the front of my house. There are many homes within Milton that are just 3 to 5 feet from the curb line.”

Peter Haag, chief traffic engineer for DelDOT, said state code mandates that the lowest regular speed on a DelDOT-maintained roadway outside a school zone is 25 mph. He said regulations do not allow for posting speed limits below 25 mph, with the only exception being school zones at 20 mph. Haag said changing the threshold would require an act of the General Assembly.

As far as traffic calming goes, Haag said there are plans to put a stoplight at the intersection of Mulberry Street and Route 16, and measures like all-way stops are becoming more popular.

“I totally support all-way stops. Statistically, we are seeing improvements of safety across the board on every all-way stop we have installed statewide. That’s a quick, low-cost countermeasure that can improve a variety of safety components,” he said. 

Haag added that plans to put an all-way stop at Route 5 and Shingle Point Road are expected to get underway in the summer.