I read with interest the letter to the editor regarding the lack of traffic enforcement in the area, except for the actual City of Lewes.
This letter will focus on one roadway that has become a hazard. There are quite a few drivers that must believe Gills Neck Road is their personal Dover Downs. The speed limit on this road is 35 mph until you reach the City of Lewes line, at which point it drops to 25 mph. I hate to say it, but most of the speeding and other traffic violations are committed by residents of the communities in the area. It does not take a genius to realize there have been close to 1,000 homes built on this road in the last few years. More homes mean more traffic. The posted speed is very rarely obeyed. It is easier to observe these violations since the state installed radar speed limit signs. No one pays attention. All they can see, if they even look, is they are traveling at 50 to 55 mph. I witness this twice a day every day. After dark it is worse, based upon the sound of the engines of the speeding vehicles.
What else do I see besides speeding?
• Passing a vehicle over double solid yellow lines
• Passing a stopped school bus with red lights flashing.
There is a bicycle/pedestrian crossing on Gills Neck Road, which has the flashing warning lights to warn traffic someone is crossing. Cyclists never use it and, in most cases, pedestrians do not use it either. If a speeding vehicle doesn’t see the warning lights and a cyclist or pedestrian enters the crosswalk, the speeding vehicle will not be able to stop. This is obvious when you see them passing the stopped school buses or passing another vehicle. How much time are you really saving by driving this fast and potentially taking other peoples’ lives? Traveling at 35 mph, it takes 1.71 minutes to drive one mile. At 50 mph, it takes 1.2 minutes to drive one mile. I ask you, is it worth it?
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