DelDOT looks at Mulberry Knoll area road improvements
A Delaware Department of Transportation study is underway with the goal of reducing traffic congestion and preparing for future growth in one of the fastest-growing areas of Sussex County.
The Mulberry Knoll Road Extension Planning and Environmental Linkages Study includes a 4.3-square-mile area including the north-south corridor paralleling Route 1 between Route 9 and Route 24, bounded by Plantation Road on the east and residential developments along Love Creek on the west.
The study area is near the resort cities of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, just south of Five Points.
DelDOT has proposed a connector road linking Route 24 and Route 9, extending Mulberry Knoll Road from its Cedar Grove Road intersection. The need for a connector road is also identified in the Sussex County comprehensive plan.
The study area is a mixture of suburban residential developments interspersed among farm fields and open space, as well as environmentally sensitive areas surrounding Love Creek, Goslee Creek and their tributaries.
“Route 1 represents one of the most congested areas in Sussex County, due to its proximity to the beaches, and adjacent shopping outlets and other tourist attractions,” the report noted. “This portion of eastern Sussex County is also an increasingly attractive area for full-time residents.”
DelDOT consultant Whitman, Requardt and Associates is conducting the study.
The report says, “Commercial development, residential growth for seasonal visitors and people permanently relocating to the area drive the continued growth and development of undeveloped properties to the south and west of the Route 1 corridor. This continued growth presents challenges for the efficient movement of traffic through the study area for both residents and visitors during the summer peak season and throughout the remaining months of the year.”
Nearly all of the land in the study area is zoned for single-family and multifamily housing.
According to the report, six of the 16 intersections in the study area are operating with volumes exceeding capacity, resulting in stoppages and delays for long periods of time. By 2045, without any major road improvements, 13 of the 16 intersections will be operating at or beyond capacity.
Among the key intersections with current capacity issues are Route 9 at Five Points, Belltown Road and Nassau Commons Boulevard.
Population, housing increasing
In the study area, the population has increased 84 percent and the number of housing units has increased 72 percent from 2000 to 2018. Currently, five new subdivisions in the immediate area with more than 850 lots are either under construction or site work has begun. On Robinsonville Road are Tidewater, 213 lots, Chase Oaks, 253 lots, Kindleton, 90 lots, and Outer Banks, 49 lots. Site work is underway on Welches Pond, with 247 lots, along Cedar Grove Road. On the south side of Mulberry Knoll Road, plans for Scenic Manor, 319 lots on 166 acres, were recently approved.
The population and number of housing units have grown dramatically in both Sussex County and the study area from 2000 to 2018. The population in Sussex County has increased from 156,638 in 2000 to 234,225 in 2018. Over the same period, the population in the study area has increased from 13,742 to 25,230, an increase of 84 percent.
Housing units in Sussex County have increased 46 percent, from 93,070 in 2000 to 135,529 in 2018. Over the same time period in the study area, housing units increased 72 percent, from 9,748 in 2000 to 16,801 units in 2018.
According to the Delaware Population Consortium, Sussex County's population is expected to continue to grow by more than 20 percent from 2018 to 2050, to approximately 285,658. The number of housing units is also expected to grow by 23 percent, to more than 166,000.
Information on the study and virtual workshop planned from 4 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 26, is available at deldot.gov/projects/Studies/mulberry-knoll/index.shtml.
