DelDOT officials say coordination key to oversight of development

As Delaware’s population only recently topped 1 million amid an ongoing housing boom, mostly in Sussex County, state officials work with local land-use planners and developers to design road projects to handle growth. 

Charles “C.R.” McLeod, director of community relations for the Delaware Department of Transportation, discussed the process in a recent On the Move With DelDOT podcast with Pam Steinbach, the agency’s director of planning.

McLeod said DelDOT is responsible for 90% of the roads in the state, while municipalities maintain about 10%. 

The agency has an agreement with each county laying out the regulations, and the roles of the county and DelDOT on issues of development, said Steinbach, a state native, University of Delaware graduate and 21-year DelDOT employee.

The agency cannot stop development that is approved by a local land-use agency, Steinbach said. But it can make sure the effects of the development are mitigated.

The state does not make any decisions on development issues, including zoning, she said. The state’s role is to ensure access to state-maintained roads is safe and efficient.

A development manual explains the coordination required of the county, developer and engineer of record to make sure access is safe. The burden is on the developer and its representatives to comply with DelDOT requirements. 

The state prefers that development occurs in metropolitan areas, Steinbach said.

“We have said we want development growth to happen in this area because when we know where the growth is going to occur, we can then plan for what the transportation improvements are actually going to be,” she said.

In addition to housing developments, the state wants to attract businesses that create jobs, but it must make sure all projects are safe and do not cause traffic issues.

Proposed developments usually go through the state’s Preliminary Land Use Service process coordinated by the Office of State Planning Coordination. That gives the developer the first indications of issues, such as the presence of wetlands or hazardous materials, that must be addressed in the design. 

The developer must also pay for a traffic study. In the case of traffic improvement districts, which project the cumulative effects in a larger geographical area, developers contribute to the cost of the broader study that includes their project.

The studies determine the need for turn lanes, traffic lights, roundabouts, sidewalks, bicycle paths and other improvements that ensure the safe flow of traffic. The cost of construction is borne by the developer.

Steinbach said the state can only require the developer to build improvements at their own site, and gaps between projects may be filled over time by subsequent construction projects, she said.

“Ideally, these ‘sidewalks to nowhere’ become sidewalks to somewhere,” McLeod said.

State permits needed for developments to access state roads can be obtained after the reviews and planning are completed.

“We have laid that groundwork with solid traffic analysis, making sure the developer builds what they are supposed to build,” Steinbach said.

The state can pace development by limiting the number of building permits that can be issued before specific road improvements must be made by the developer, especially for large projects, she said.

The state in the past 10 years has emphasized multimodal transportation, such as requiring construction of sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes and bike paths, McLeod said. The same is true for new development and redevelopment projects.

The state is trying to encourage people to find ways to get around other than using cars, he said. That helps to reduce traffic congestion.

Public participation in planning for projects is important, McLeod and Steinbach each said.

“We’re doing a lot of planning studies and we’ve had great engagement,” McLeod said. “I’ve really been impressed with [it], whether it's the Five Points Working Group or Coastal  Corridors, just to mention a couple in Sussex County, where we’ve had extensive and comprehensive planning studies with comprehensive public participation. That’s a critical part of this. We need the public feedback in helping us shape what the future looks like.”

There is no end in sight for the development boom, he said.

“As we look ahead, we are continuing to see growth happening in the state, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing, as Delaware has become a very desirable place for people to live,” McLeod said.