Regional planners updated the public last week on efforts to shape the future of the Route 202 corridor.
The Concord Pike Corridor Master Plan being developed by the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO), DelDOT and the New Castle County Department of Land Use is more than halfway done.
It considers land use and transportation, and aims to plan for a future 20 years out where the 202 corridor is more pedestrian and bike friendly.
Planners are recommending a transition to higher mixed-use development along the retail-centric corridor. Planning consultant with Design Collective Cecily Bedwell says that would incorporate more residential and civic uses as well as open space.
“What we see along the corridor now and what we see might be the evolution is aging retail, some retail vacancy, and already some development pressure to move to mixed-use,” said Bedwell.
Bill Dunn of the Civic League of New Castle County is most concerned about the pike’s congested intersections. “You’re not going to draw an audience to participate by walking and bike riding if they’re confronted with the same heavy traffic and no significant change in design,” he said.
Bedwell says traffic is one of — but not the only — focus of the plan.
So far, planners are recommending a mixed-use overlay along the pike flanked by neighborhood preservation overlays on the adjacent suburban areas. This scenario, along with a higher intensity scenario and a business as usual scenario, will be run through a transportation analysis. Those results and preliminary recommendations will be presented to the public at the next workshop.
WILMAPCO is still accepting comments from the public on the plan. They hope to finish it in May.
