Cannon: Coordination of DelDOT projects crucial in Seaford

Editor’s note: This letter was also sent to Rep. Danny Short and Sen. Bryant Richardson, both R-Seaford.

The ongoing Del. 20 renewal, the announced Virginia Avenue-Bridgeville Highway all-way stop and a possible Bridgeville Highway-Del. 20 (oval) roundabout are/will be controlled by the Delaware Department of Transportation.

To date, I have heard little/nothing about the department’s coordination and integration of these vitally important plans for traffic changes and upgrades in Seaford.

The agency needs to hear and understand that the current work and future projects in this key area and along this key artery need to be fully and carefully coordinated and integrated to meet Seaford’s current and future needs of traffic safety and efficient traffic flow.

These needs include:

Curb impediments to traffic flow on Del. 20

Currently, traffic flow is being impeded along Del. 20 due to unnecessary traffic light restrictions, an unsafe physical obstruction and, especially, dangerous left turns at the intersection of Del. 20 and Bridgeville Highway, even as Del. 20-Stein Highway-Norman Eskridge Highway is now being upgraded by DelDOT.

First, the timing of the two traffic lights on Norman Eskridge Highway continues to unnecessarily impede westbound traffic after release from the shopping center light by being almost immediately stopped by the Chandler Street light at least 80%-85% of the time. The latter light should either be eliminated or adjusted to respond to real-time needs of entering traffic.

Second, other traffic light restrictions are due to left-turn signals along Del. 20, which are either unnecessary (virtually no traffic in the left-turn lanes) or far too long (for barely existing turning traffic). These problems should be alleviated by: 1.) using “electric eyes” to eliminate left-turn signals at Sussex Avenue, Nylon Boulevard and into/from Nanticoke Automotive-Chandler Street when no turning traffic is present; and 2.) using “electric eyes” to reduce the length of all left-turn signals to match real-time traffic needs.

Third, the concrete curb at the eastern foot of the eastbound Del. 20 bridge over the railroad tracks needs to be eliminated, as this projection extends out to the left lane, posing an unnecessary risk to traffic moving east and interfering with a safe left turn onto North Pine Street.

Role of a proposed roundabout at Del. 20, Bridgeville Highway

Not surprisingly, problems here have multiplied mainly due to the development of businesses at/near this intersection and north of/near/accessed via Bridgeville Highway (these include TidalHealth Mears Campus; TidalHealth Cardiology, Seaford; MyEyeDr.; Trinity Logistics; Lowe’s; Food Lion.; etc.). This growth has produced an increased volume of traffic headed east, making left turns to go north at Del. 20-Bridgeville Highway. Left-turning traffic concerns at the intersection may be alleviated by the proposed oval roundabout if the proposed roundabout: a.) eliminates the current grossly unsafe practice of allowing left-turning traffic to enter the Dunkin’ establishment directly from the left-turn lane; b.) minimizes similar but less-troubling left-turn problems for traffic seeking to enter Harbor House Seafood from northbound Bridgeville Highway; c.) prevents what would seem to be virtually preordained traffic snarls on Bridgeville Highway between Del. 20 and Virginia Avenue.

These traffic snarls are likely to result from a DelDOT decision to create an all-way stop about 1,500 feet north of the Del. 20-Bridgeville Highway intersection, at the junction of Bridgeville Highway and Virginia Avenue. To the best of my knowledge, these potential snarls have yet to be recognized by transportation officials. However, the prospect of such potential snarls needs coordinated and integrated planning to avoid this potential problem before it happens.

Nevertheless, with or without a roundabout, the aforementioned problems (both current and potential) at/near Del. 20-Bridgeville Highway and the nearby Virginia Avenue-Bridgeville Highway intersection need and deserve DelDOT’s closest scrutiny and attention.

The city of Seaford should enlist the help of and support of Rep. Danny Short and Sen. Bryant Richardson to effect successful coordination and integration of these transportation efforts in Seaford.

Dan Cannon

Seaford

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