Sussex County and DelDOT signed a new Memorandum of Understanding this week, updating an over 30 year-old agreement.
It attempts to bring a new level of communication on transportation issues.
The updated agreement is 2 years in the making, as part of the county’s Comprehensive Plan update back in 2018. The initial ageement dates back 1988.
Both DelDOT and Sussex County anticipate the update will improve communication and help address traffic issues in southern Delaware.
Sussex County Administrator Todd Lawson says the new MOU is long overdue, and hopes in the future, updates come more frequently.
“With the understanding of what we just accomplished and the efforts it took to do so, I think this will be something that gets revisited every 10 years or so would make sense as all of this evolves,” said Lawson.
The new MOU includes a provision that DelDOT will provide more traffic data before public hearings take place so the public and the county can make better decisions about development.
Lawson acknowledges the issues with traffic and road quality in Sussex County, and says while this MOU isn’t a silver bullet, the enhanced communication it brings can help alleviate those issues.
But Lawson says residents need to be patient.
“I think it will help with the citizens' understanding of how land use and traffic and transportation work," said Lawson. But it’s not going to magically make all the traffic woes in Sussex County disappear.”
