In an effort to slow vehicular traffic on three of the city’s busiest streets, Rehoboth Beach commissioners approved the installation of new stops signs on State Road, Henlopen Avenue and Columbia Avenue. The new signs were presented as a recommendation from the city’s streets & safety advisory committee.

Commissioner Mark Saunders, who chairs the committee, said there was a petition signed by more than 100 residents related to concerns about speeding and pedestrian safety on these roads. This won’t solve all the problems on these streets, but hopefully it will solve some of them, he said.

On State Road, the intersections with Hickman and Canal streets and Grove and Munson streets will become all-way stops.

On Columbia Avenue, heading east, there will be signs installed at Fourth and Third streets, while heading west there will be signs installed at the intersection of Gerar and Third streets. The Third Street signs will be installed at the Third Street intersection closest to the beach, not the one near the intersection of Fourth and Gerar streets.

On Henlopen Avenue, the intersections with Gerar and Third streets will become all-way stops.

Police Chief Keith Banks said the department had reviewed and approved the locations. 

Prior to approval, Columbia Avenue property owner Neil Holzman said the stop signs are a good start, but it shouldn't stop there. The city will need to enforce them too, he said.

“Bad behavior will continue to happen even with the stop signs,” said Holzman. “We should be like Ellendale. Everyone knows you don’t drive a mile over the speed limit in Ellendale. Maybe we can get that reputation in Rehoboth too.”

Assistant City Manager Evan Miller said there will be additional striping, including double-yellow lines and white stop bars.

Moving forward, Miller said the Henlopen Avenue signs and striping will be done first because it’s not a state-owned road. State Road and Columbia Avenue are state-owned roads, which require a signage and striping plan before gaining approval, he said.