Milton bypass, other ideas discussed by Coastal Corridors committee

Would a bypass around Milton help east-west traffic movement through northern Sussex County? That’s something the state’s Coastal Corridors Committee would like to explore. 

The bypass idea was one of more than two dozen preliminary recommendations presented during the committee’s March 13 meeting at Mariner Middle School. Over the last few months, the committee has been discussing and analyzing Route 16 and Route 9 between Route 113 and Route 1 to ensure future traffic growth works for the communities in the area rather than harming them. Other goals include maintaining quality of life for local residents and ensuring economic competitiveness. The recommendations aim to improve safety and traffic flow for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

The recommendations will be refined over the next month before being presented again at a public workshop in May. Time, date and location have not yet been announced. 

The big idea for the Route 16 corridor was the bypass, which is envisioned to split off Route 16 east of Route 30 and reconnect east of Milton town limits. If that’s not possible, a backup recommendation is to explore widening Route 16 through Milton. 

“The data we have acknowledges this is a pinch point,” said Leah Kacanda, a planner for Delaware Department of Transportation consultant Whitman, Requardt and Associates. “It’s also an area that’s part of the town’s conversations about what this part of town is going to look like in a couple of years.” 

Kacanda is referring to several proposals and approved plans along Route 16 including a Royal Farms gas station and convenience store, a pair of storage facilities and a McDonald’s restaurant. Residential development is also under construction on both the eastern and western sides of Milton. 

“A majority of the traffic we’re seeing right now is not because of the tourists,” said Jennifer Cinelli-Miller, a DelDOT planner. “It’s because of the growth. If you put that growth in on top of the tourists, what does Route 16 look like?” 

Andrew Bing of Kramer and Associates, who facilitates committee meetings, said some of the recommendations may not seem like good ideas now, but they could help the traffic situation in the future. 

“There is not an easy solution,” he said. “But is [the traffic situation] going to get any better in 10 years, 20 years or 30 years?” 

The big-ticket item for Route 9 was widening and expanding the roadway to two lanes in each direction from Route 1 to Route 5. Widening the stretch from Route 1 to Old Vine Boulevard, near the new Redner’s Fresh Market, is already in the early stages of planning. The recommendation urges DelDOT to continue that farther west. 

“Before the department says Route 9 will be dualized, there has to be a whole planning and linkages study,” Kacanda said. “It does a much, much deeper dive than we’ve been able to do as part of this process. This [recommendation] is a step in that direction.” 

After the public workshop in May, comments will be reviewed before a draft of the study is available for the committee and public to examine in late spring or early summer. A follow-up committee meeting will then be scheduled in the fall or winter to discuss implementation. 

Route 16 

• Ensure a low-stress pedestrian and bicycle connection is provided between downtown Ellendale and the Enclave at Starwood as part of the Route 113/Route 16 grade-separated intersection project

• Improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities along and across Route 16 in Ellendale. Explore feasibility of eliminating on-street parking to provide bike lanes. Identify and fill sidewalk gaps

• Require incoming development to provide sidewalk connectivity to Route 16

• Conduct high-level feasibility assessment of low-stress bike connection between Milton and Ellendale. This assessment should include looking at potential for rail with trail improvements  

• Ensure proposed roundabout at Route 16 and Route 30 consolidates access points, provides safe pedestrian and bicycle connectivity through the intersection, and minimizes private property impacts

• Conduct traffic study at Route 16 and Mulberry Street to determine appropriate improvements not being addressed by Royal Farms or other area development

• Implement improvements at Mulberry Street based on recommendations of traffic study

• Ensure proposed improvements at Route 16 and Route 5 provide adequate capacity improvements, and pedestrian and bicycle improvements 

• Explore the feasibility and benefits of a Route 16 bypass around the Town of Milton that would begin east of the intersection of Route 16 and Route 30, and tie back in east of Milton town limits

• Explore the feasibility of widening Route 16 through the Town of Milton 

• Improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities along and across Route 16 in Milton if a bypass is provided. Determine appropriate bicycle facility type and fill existing sidewalk gaps in consideration of future vehicular volumes. Potential improvements could include crossing upgrades, traffic calming, bump outs, on-street parking and lower speeds 

• If a bypass is not provided, improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities along and across Route 16 in Milton. Determine appropriate bicycle facility type and fill existing sidewalk gaps in consideration of future vehicular volumes. Potential improvements could include crossing upgrades, sidewalks and bike facilities 

• Explore possibility of adding more bus stops in the Milton area. 

Route 9

• Conduct parking and circulation study for downtown Georgetown 

• Explore the possibility of providing pedestrian and bicycle connection between new campground/RV park, and Sports at the Beach and Sandhill Fields

• Explore the possibility of aligning entrance to Sports at the Beach and entrance to new campground/RV park

• Add channelizing islands and crosswalks on all legs of the Route 9/Route 30 intersection to facilitate safe pedestrian and bike movement through the intersection 

• Provide low-stress bicycle and pedestrian connection from Route 9/Route 30 intersection to the future Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail 

• Provide low-stress bicycle and pedestrian connection from Route 9/ Route 5 intersection to the future Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail 

• Study the feasibility of widening Route 9 at Route 5 (Phase 1 of widening/dualization study)

• Study the feasibility of widening Route 9 between Route 5 and Old Vine Boulevard (Phase 2 of widening/dualization study)

• Conduct analysis to determine appropriate setback requirements along Route 9  

• Explore mechanisms to standardize setback requirements along Route 9 

• Conduct short-term traffic study for the intersection of Route 9 and Cool Spring Road. Potential improvements could include turn lanes, signage upgrades and pavement markings 

• Implement recommended improvements at Cool Spring Road based on recommendations of short-term traffic study 

• Provide bicycle and pedestrian connection across Route 9 at Cool Spring Road

• Conduct short-term traffic study for the intersection of Route 9 and Josephs Road. Potential improvements could include turn lanes, signage upgrades and pavement markings

• Implement improvements at Josephs Road based on recommendations of short-term traffic safety study 

• Provide bicycle and pedestrian connection across Route 9 at Josephs Road 

• Add channelizing islands and crosswalks on all legs of the Route 9/Sweetbriar Road/Dairy Farm Road intersection to facilitate safe pedestrian and bike movement through the intersection 

• Provide low-stress bicycle and pedestrian connection between Sweetbriar Road/Dairy Farm Road and the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail

• Provide bicycle and pedestrian connection across Route 9 at Minos Conaway Road

• Provide bicycle and pedestrian connection across Route 9 at Old Vine Boulevard

• Provide better side-path connectivity along Route 9 in the vicinity of Old Vine Boulevard

• Encourage interconnectivity among approved developments for easier access for emergency responders.