Milton council forms ad-hoc committee to examine trail lighting

Milton Town Council has formed an ad-hoc committee to examine whether to move forward with lighting on Milton’s new Rails to Trails extension after the town was no longer able to get the lights it originally wanted and residents spoke out in opposition.

It would cost $195,000 to install lighting along the trail, with the project cost split 50/50 between the town and the state; $97,500 is being funded by a grant from Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, while the rest is being funded by the town.

The town’s stated use for the lights is for safety reasons. However, the idea of lights on the trail has been vigorously opposed by residents on West Shore Drive in Wagamon’s West Shores, whose homes back up to the trail. 

Roy Turci, who lives on West Shore Drive, said, “Our quality of life will be compromised significantly. With lights on 24/7 we can, and will, have intrusions possible at any time. Putting lights there will attract crime, not deter crime as they have stated. West Shore Drive homeowners and others who do not want lights on the trail during nighttime hours are keeping their fingers crossed so that the Milton Town Council will come to their senses and not make the trail a 24/7 access facility.”

Turci said he emailed members of the Wagamon’s West Shore community asking if they support lights on the trail: of the 130 responses received, 120 were opposed with only 10 in favor. Besides quality of life concerns, he said residents also opposed the costs associated with the project, which beyond the cost of actually installing the lights, also includes maintenance and electric bills that will fall on the Milton taxpayer.

The town’s original plan was to proceed with lights no higher than 14 feet. Council had discussed putting conduits in during construction of the trail - which runs between Federal Street and Lavinia Street - but those did not get built. However, Delmarva Power, which would have provided the lights, informed the town that they no longer have 14-foot shoebox-style lights and that the shortest height is now 20 feet. Council has expressed a desire to have citizen input, and with many citizens speaking in opposition, council decided to form the ad-hoc committee.

Approved Nov. 12, the committee will be chaired by Councilman Sam Garde and will include Councilwoman Randi Meredith, Police Chief Derrick Harvey, Board of Adjustment member Walter Tydings, Historic Preservation Committee member Lee Revis-Plank and Public Works Supervisor Greg Wingo.

Turci, who asked to be on the committee but was not appointed, said he was disappointed no one from West Shore Drive was put on the committee, as those residents are most passionate about the issue of lights. 

A date has not yet been set for the committee’s first meeting, but they will be on a tight timeline to get a report back to town council. According to the resolution, a report must be delivered by Monday, Jan. 4. The committee itself will sunset Sunday, Jan. 31 according to the resolution.