Dewey pedestrian survey: Many solutions out of town’s hands

Following up on public concerns voiced about pedestrian safety, Dewey Beach officials outlined results of a subsequent survey requesting input on the topic at their Sept. 20 monthly meeting.

In June, residents detailed close calls with inattentive drivers. The town issued the survey to residents requesting suggestions, and more than 300 people responded, said Town Manager Bill Zolper.

Overall, respondents said the town has done a good job implementing safety measures, he said, but issues remain. Many suggested solutions are out of the town’s hands, he said, such as installing speed bumps on Coastal Highway, which the state won’t allow.

Many lauded the pedestrian crosswalks, but said aggressive drivers neglect to stop at the Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons, which activate yellow flashing lights when pedestrians push the button to cross the street.

Residents suggested changing the yellow lights to red, as yellow universally signals caution, and red signals tell drivers to stop. Zolper provided a statement from Peter Haag, Delaware Department of Transportation chief of traffic engineering, which stated federal regulations prohibit using a red indicator at existing RRFBs.

Haag also stated that DelDOT does not recommend converting RRFBs to red overhead lights, known as high-intensity activated crosswalk or HAWK, like those located on Coastal Highway near Tanger Outlets. Research at existing HAWK locations showed increased crashes, low compliance numbers and improper usage by all road users, Haag said.  

Further, Haag stated, plans call for the existing HAWK at Coastal Highway and Holland Glade Road to be converted to a full stop-and-go signal as part of a developer project in the future. DelDOT’s statewide research showed that HAWK signals are no longer installed at intersections, especially on multi-lane roadways, he said.

Cameras are not an option to monitor crosswalks and issue tickets, he said, noting the state does not currently allow the town to use cameras to issue tickets. Some respondents suggested overpasses or tunnels under Coastal Highway, which are also not feasible, he said. 

Some people don’t want the town to trim the trees in the center island, but it needs to be done so the yellow flashing lights are visible, he said.

Plans call for extending the post-and-rope Coastal Highway center island pedestrian barrier known as the Dewey Wave from from Saulsbury north to Clayton Street and from Read Avenue south to Collins Avenue, and augmenting it with new landscaping.

Residents also cited the need for speeding enforcement. Earlier, Police Chief Constance Speake listed August statistics, which showed 840 calls for service, 22 criminal arrests, 238 traffic citations, 19 accidents, 88 parking tickets, 26 civil citations, two DUIs and 329 traffic enforcement hours. Of the civil citations, 13 were for public urination and four were for underage consumption or possession.

“So we went down from the month of July, when we had 57 urinators, and in June, when we had 35,” Speake said.

Many times, she said, pedestrians have the perception that someone is speeding, as 25 mph can appear fast to a walker. Additionally, the town did not raise speed limits from 15 mph to 25 mph on any streets, she said; rather, the town replaced those signs stating a 15 mph limit that were installed in error.

Getting rid of the yellow-flashing RRFBs would be a mistake, she said.

Commissioner Elisabeth Gibbons noted that the town has no jurisdiction on traffic on the Forgotten Mile and can’t address residential concerns in that area. She suggested providing rental agents and HOAs with information on how visitors can properly use the crosswalks.

Mayor Bill Stevens suggested residents review survey results uploaded with the Sept. 20 meeting materials at townofdeweybeach.com/meetings in case they may spark an idea.

“The town has really done an incredible job over the last several years of just slowly adding different things, whether it be the wave, whether it be the crosswalks or the reduction in speeding on Route 1,” Stevens said. “We truly do care about public safety, and we’re doing everything we possibly can.”

Commissioner Paul Bauer noted that three pedestrians had been hit by vehicles this summer, down from a usual seven collisions a summer.

Many safety improvements have been implemented throughout town in the past four years, Zolper said, such as placing flashing red lights on top of stop signs at the intersections of Cullen and Bayard, Bayard and Swedes, and Bayard and Bellevue. The light is solar-powered with low enough wattage not to disturb neighbors but bright enough to get drivers’ attention, he said.

The speed limit on Coastal Highway was lowered to 25 mph, including from Bayard Avenue south of Dewey to Chicago Street, he said. Pedestrian crosswalk marking was installed on the road before the crosswalks, and wording instructing walkers to look twice before crossing was stenciled at all crosswalk crossings.

A solid white line was extended down the center of the road before crosswalks so cars don’t change lanes, and crosswalk signs have been installed on Coastal Highway’s center island and in Dewey’s north end at the King Charles Avenue crosswalks, he said.

Radar speed signs are stationed at the north and south ends of town, and the number of streetlights has been increased throughout town with the help of Delmarva Power, he said. 

In response to residential requests, Zolper said speed bumps have been installed on Read Avenue ocean and baysides, McKinley Avenue bayside, Saulsbury Avenue ocean and baysides, Swedes Street bayside, Bellevue Street bayside, and the second blocks of Caroline and Cullen streets.