DelDOT to offer plan for Route 16 overpass
State transportation officials are seeking public input on proposed interchange at Route 16 and Route 1 near Milton during a public workshop from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 16, at Eagles Nest Christian Academy, 26633 Zion Church Road, Milton. The proposed overpass will eliminate the need for a traffic signal at the intersection.
The project includes an overpass with ramps to provide access from southbound and northbound Route 1. A year ago, Delaware Department of Transportation officials unveiled six options for improvements at the intersection as part of a plan to eliminate traffic signals along Route 1 from I-95 in New Castle County to Route 9 in Lewes. Now, officials want input on the preferred alternative.
During the well-attended November 2015 workshop, many residents said the Route 16 traffic signal provides a natural break during heavy traffic times, noting without the signal, the first stop for beach traffic would be Five Points, which would create traffic backups.
DelDOT records show 98 crashes occurred at the intersection from January 2005 to October 2015. Of those, 54 percent were rear-end crashes and there was one fatality. As a result, DelDOT engineer George Spadafino said the location has been identified as a high-accident intersection.
Construction would begin during the summer of 2020. In the interim, improvements at the intersection include traffic signal modifications, turn-lane extensions and improved lighting.
The project is part of an ongoing 1999 Corridor Capacity Preservation Program to remove traffic signals and improve traffic flow on Route 1 from Dover Air Force Base to the Nassau bridge. Work is nearing completion in Milford at the Thompsonville Road intersection, and work is underway on an overpass at the Route 1 intersection in Little Heaven.
Several people attending last year's workshop told officials that more attention should be placed on other areas such as Five Points and the east-west roads leading to the coastal area. Officials said state transportation officials are looking at future improvements to the Five Points intersection but the cost of acquiring property is escalating.
Attendees at the workshop will have a chance to view the proposed project and offer their views in writing. Comments can also be mailed to DelDOT Public Relations, PO Box 778, Dover, DE 19903. For more information, contact public relations at 1-800-652-5600.
