Millsboro is looking for a way to address accidents at the intersection of Route 24 and Delaware Avenue.
DelDOT chief traffic engineer Peter Haag made the presentation in Millsboro and laid out three options: implementing an all-way stop, a traffic signal or a roundabout.
The intersection has seen about 30 crashes in the past five years, according to DelDOT Director of Community Relations C.R. McLeod. Most are angle crashes like T-bones, resulting from people taking chances to get across the road.
McLeod said there isn’t a perfect solution here.
“If we leave it as it is, we're likely to see these higher-than-average crash numbers happening at this intersection,” McLeod said. “We're really trying to avoid creating more congestion at the same time that we're increasing safety.”
There are pros and cons to each method, and DelDOT has not made plans for any option yet.
“If we create an all-way stop, for example, if we install a traffic signal, it's likely going to add to congestion issues,” McLeod said.
Data shows roundabouts reduce congestion and the number of crashes, McLeod added.
“This is a residential area,” McLeod said. “To install a roundabout, we probably would need to acquire property from surrounding landowners to do that.”
DelDOT is in a 30-day comment period now and is waiting on public and leadership opinions before moving forward with any mock-ups.
These accidents have a higher likelihood of causing severe injuries and fatality crashes.
Once they get feedback from the public and Millsboro leadership, DelDOT will move forward with putting a few concepts together.
