In view of recent decisions, it is clear that the Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission and Sussex County Council favor rampant growth.
They are approving most development projects regardless of environmental concerns, being out-of-character, quality of life, and traffic congestion as testified by constituents.
But with CZ 1860/1861 and CU 2147 [proposed apartments and commercial near Nassau bridge] the council is poised to go too far. It is poised to rubber stamp applications that will not only add congestion but, in this case, endanger the driving public. If approved, this decision will cause wrecks, cost lives, and make the county culpable for litigation. Class action suits by descendants of fatalities at these intersections are likely if the council knowingly and willfully makes the wrong decision.
Our county council has a dilemma. P&Z has already approved these applications, with typical disregard for precedence, traffic congestion and environmental concerns. But congestion is not the issue with these applications. Fatalities are the issue. And, the county will be culpable.
Here’s why: Congestion is blocked intersections/bumper-to-bumper/stop-and-go/fender-benders.
The issue with CZ 1860/1861 and CU 2147 is fatalities that will result from tripling the number of cars that must enter/exit, u-turn, and cross high-speed, 60-plus MPH traffic at the northern base of Route 1 (SR1) Nassau Bridge raceway.
Council in its desperation to approve has “pressed” (aka: begged) DelDOT to, within one week, come up with an “interim” solution that solves the highly risky Route 1 intersections with Nassau Road and Old Mill Road (northbound) and Minos Conaway Road (southbound). These intersections interweave within 150 yards at the base of Nassau Bridge. All are under-designed and below DelDOT standards, today.
Tripling the intersecting traffic at Old Mill Road will be lethal.
Bottom line, there is not enough roadway space to construct adequate entrance/exit lanes to safely accommodate projected intersecting traffic volumes. DelDOT’s long-term plan is to shift SR1 to the left and install service roads to the east and west. Tentatively planned for 2022-25, this ‘fix’ seems viable, but is too late for the council to approve CZ 1860/1861 and CU 2147 this term.
Per their 27 November 2018 testimony, DelDOT has no interim solution or plans or funding. The developer suggests adding one or more direct access right/in, right/out driveways directly onto Route 1.
Given the proximity to Old Mill Road, this would ludicrously multiply the number of vehicles simultaneously attempting to enter Route 1 at virtually the same location and, in addition, would force driveway-entering traffic to go north on Route 1 for a mile or two before u-turning and multiplying southbound Route 1 traffic and further disrupting Minos Conaway outbound traffic.
DelDOT, do the right thing. Confirm that there is no viable interim solution. County council, do the right thing. Fulfill your duty and your oath to safeguard, not endanger, the driving public and your constituents.
Deny these applications and encourage the applicant to reconsider, and then submit applications to add another AR-1-compliant neighborhood to the Old Mill Road communities.
George Dellinger
Lewes
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to newsroom@capegazette.com. Letters must be signed and include a telephone number and address for verification. Please keep letters to 500 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content and length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days. Letters restating information and opinions already offered by the same author will not be used. Letters must focus on issues of general, local concern, not personalities or specific businesses.
