The following letter was sent to Sen. Russ Huxtable with a copy provided to the Cape Gazette for publication.
Let’s save lives and over $10 million in taxpayer money! All we have to do is reduce the number of proposed roundabouts on Kings Highway to two – Dartmouth Drive and the Freeman Highway/Kings Highway split.
DelDOT hired Kittelson & Associates to develop the plan. This company specializes in roundabouts, so the plan is no surprise. Doesn’t DelDOT have engineers who are capable of researching local needs and designing reasonable solutions? They hire a roundabout company to do their job.
The roundabout at Cape Henlopen High School is a huge mistake. Research is clear that if there is a lot of traffic at an intersection, a traffic signal is the way to go. Roundabout capacity thresholds are lower than the capacity of a signal. If there is a lot of volume, such as during times of school dismissal or the conclusion of sporting events or concerts, traffic signals are the most effective way to control traffic. Combine school traffic with ferry traffic, and the solution is clear. The simulation presented at the recent public event showed no more than five or six cars smoothly negotiating the roundabout. This is far from realistic.
Furthermore, research shows there is increased risk for pedestrians crossing busy intersections with a roundabout. This is due to shared space between cars and pedestrians. DelDOT claims the flashing warning lights to allow pedestrians to cross will solve this problem. We have seen this is not true in Rehoboth and Dewey with the flashing lights that are ignored by drivers, and pedestrians have been struck.
Research reveals that roundabouts create less maneuverability for large vehicles such as trucks, fire apparatus and buses. This results in increased wait time due to cars not being able to pass through quickly and difficulty determining right of way.
The consulting firm and DelDOT use only specific and partial data to satisfy their desires. They ignore other research and common sense. They invited public input at the event the other week, but were clear the plans were final. Public input needs to be considered in a redesign of this project.
Again, let’s save lives and over $10 million in taxpayer money with a sensible design for Kings Highway – two roundabouts.
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