Efforts to stop speeding on Main Street in Newark is the focus of discussion at the most recent Newark City Council meeting.
There have been multiple incidents in the Newark area and on Main Street since last August where pedestrians have been seriously injured or killed by speeding vehicles.
City Manager Tom Coleman offered City Council a list of recommendations Monday to help make Main Street safer.
They include amending the city’s bond bill request to allow for funding to be spent on Main Street improvements, and to consider requesting assistance from state legislators.
That would help increase penalties for fleeing from police in a vehicle, and authorize speed cameras on Main Street which Councilwoman Corinth Ford supports.
"The other thing that I'm pushing, I have pushed for almost three years now and Representative Osienski got us the legislation to allow us to deploy speed counters. I agree with you. We need speed cameras. They are only allowed in residential areas,” said Ford. “We will go back and ask Representative Osienski to amend that legislation."
City staff will also work with DelDOT, the University of Delaware, and the Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company to develop other recommendations.
Other possible suggestions brought up at the meeting were traffic calming options, like speed bumps, humps, cushions on Main Street.
No matter what City Council and/or state officials act on, Councilman Jason Lawhorn wants to make sure the city takes a thoughtful approach.
"When you respond to something quickly. Which we want to do here, and you're going to make changes, it's very important that you evaluate those changes to make sure you don't create new problems," said Lawhorn.
The hope is to have some plans back to council to complete work over the summer, and then to request DelDOT to create a long-term project to analyze larger scale safety improvements beyond what the city can do.
