It was with increasing consternation that I read the story regarding the proposals to add a total of 1,485 single-family homes and more than 1,300 multifamily units and commercial units. I couldn’t help but think of the development mistakes made in Annapolis, Md. We lived in Annapolis for 31 years and experienced a steady decline in quality of life as development soared with no concern for the effect on traffic or services. Developments were built, pouring more traffic onto already-congested roads with no options to either widen those roads or add new ones. Now we unfortunately are witnessing similar problems here in Sussex County.
One of the worst examples of the effect of unrestrained development is Route 9. I am aware that planning is underway for widening Route 9 to four lanes from Route 1 to The Vineyards in FY 2027, and planning for further widening from The Vineyards to Dairy Farm Road in FY 2027 and FY 2028 budgets. The Coastal Corridors Committee has also discussed widening even farther west, possibly all the way to Georgetown. Given the existing properties along the route, these changes will be difficult and possibly take many years to complete. Will property owners contest widening the route, perhaps displacing or seriously reducing the size of their property? If so, it will be some time, if ever, that we see a widening of Route 9 sufficient to handle the increased traffic.
In the meantime, the proposed large developments across from the Vineyards and at Cool Spring will proceed, most certainly at a faster pace than any road improvements. I predict Route 9 will be a road to avoid at all costs for years to come. Our state, county and local planners would do well to consider the problems of a city like Annapolis and think twice before allowing more development before the necessary infrastructure is in place to handle the increased traffic. Our experience in the five different communities in which we have lived (I am a retired USAF officer) also has convinced us that the additional burdens placed on fire, police and utility services is never offset by the additional property taxes from new developments. We need more sensible growth in southern Delaware than has been the case over the past 10 years.
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