Milton plans upgrades to street system

Milton officials have a series of changes planned for the town’s transportation and pedestrian network in an effort to improve safety.

At town council’s Monday, Sept. 12 meeting, officials will discuss two resolutions to the Delaware Department of Transportation, which maintains most of the significant roadways in Milton. 

The first is asking DelDOT to authorize the town to turn the yield sign at the intersection of Federal Street and Union Street into a stop sign. This would turn that intersection into a three-way stop, with stop signs already at the intersection of Front Street going to Union Street and at the alleyway that leads toward Irish Eyes. 

The second resolution is a request that DelDOT reduce the speed limit on Lavinia Street from Wagamons Pond to the rails to trails, on Front Street from Cave Neck Road to Collins Street, and on Harbeson Road from the rails to trails to Sand Hill Road. 

But these changes are just the beginning. 

Earlier this summer, the town received $310,000 from Sussex County in surplus realty transfer tax revenue, and the town matched that grant with $210,000 of its own. 

Town Manager Kristy Rogers said much of that money will go toward improving intersections and pedestrian ramps to make them more compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

The biggest of these intersection improvements is one that has long been on the town’s radar: the intersection of Chestnut, Wharton and Atlantic streets. Currently, the intersection is a two-way stop, with no stops for Chestnut Street traffic. Town officials want to turn that intersection into a four-way stop due to sightline issues that make it hard for motorists to see oncoming traffic. Complicating matters is that while Chestnut Street is a town-maintained street, Atlantic and Wharton streets are not, meaning technically, the intersection is controlled by DelDOT. Rogers said the town has been working closely with the department on the proposed intersection improvements. 

Rogers said the town has a year to use the funding, and engineering work will likely take six weeks. She said once the engineering is done, the town will put the project out for bid. 

“We’re going to be doing the ADA ramps and making sure they are compliant for today’s standards. It might take a little realignment of that intersection, but until we have an engineering plan, I’m not certain what we’ll look at,” Rogers said.

Besides that intersection, Rogers said additional ADA ramps would be added in the downtown area, although the locations are still to be determined, and how many is dependent on funding. The town also plans to paint 10 crosswalks and rebrand them as art crosswalks. The project is being funded by a grant the town received from AARP in cooperation with DelDOT. 

The crosswalks include Union Street at Tobin Drive, Union at Magnolia Street, Mulberry Street at H.O. Brittingham Elementary School, Mulberry Street at Governor’s Walk, at the intersection of Federal/Front/Union streets, Federal Street at Milton Elementary School, Federal at Wharton Street, Federal at Coulter Street, Chestnut Street at Village Center Boulevard and Mulberry Street at Lake Drive.  

Milton council to hold three public hearings Sept. 12

Milton Town Council will be very busy with three public hearings at its 6:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 12 meeting at Milton library. 

The hearings are all amendments to the zoning code. Topics include: fence orientation, wireless antennas and the historic district map. Following the public hearings, council will discuss and possibly vote on each. 

Council will possibly vote on an ordinance regarding conduct and morals related to Halloween, review the Chestnut Crossing punch list and vote on the fiscal year 2023 budget. 

Council will discuss a written report from the special review committee recommending the annexation of a half-acre of property on Route 16 that would be incorporated into an existing parcel. The property has been proposed to be developed as a DEStorage self-storage facility. 

In new business, council will make an appointment to the board of elections, discuss distribution of council donations and pass a resolution to support an application for a grant to conduct a feasibility study for pedestrian activity on Lavinia Street.