Milton explores one-way streets

Milton Town Council has tasked Town Manager Kristy Rogers with finding grant funding to conduct a feasibility study on whether certain streets can be converted to one-way traffic.

The idea to convert Milton’s main thoroughfares into one-way streets came from the traffic calming ad hoc committee report of August 2022, which recommended, as a long-term goal, a feasibility study of alternate traffic patterns and potential one-way streets on the four major roadways in town – Chestnut, Federal, Union and Mulberry streets – with the possibility of converting one of the lanes into a bike lane. This study would also look into the possibility of undergrounding utilities and examining ways to add to the town’s parking capacity.

Because the project involves new bike lanes, Councilwoman Randi Meredith, who chaired the committee, told the council Jan. 9 the town had been granted a $10,000 Delaware Cycling Innovation Grant by the Delaware Department of Transportation. The town was planning to use that money to fund the feasibility study. Meredith said state officials liked the ideas in the committee’s report and were interested in trying to make it happen. 

However, the catch is that the town’s engineering estimates put the cost of the study at $120,000. Meredith said there are two ways the town can go about doing the study: either seek additional grant money or amend the town budget to use reserve funds. Meredith motioned to go the budget amendment route, but she did not get a second. 

Mayor John Collier said he wants to explore additional funding options before committing to doing the study. He said he is not sure using $120,000 in town funds is the right thing to do at this time. 

But Collier did not want to flat-out say no, so Meredith suggested, and council agreed, to have Rogers seek additional grant funding options. Council voted 6-1 vote with Councilwoman Lee Revis-Plank opposed.