Route 1 pedestrian safety a sore spot for Sussex towns

"Now! Go, go, go, go!" If you've ever traveled on Route 1 in coastal Sussex County, you're aware of the darters, sprinters and traffic weaving pedestrians.

You might be guilty of it too. Maybe while perusing the Tanger Outlets in Rehoboth Beach or the shops on Fenwick Island, that nearest crosswalk or street light was too far away.

But those crosswalks, the flashing yellow lights and the "Your Speed is ..." signs are there for a reason. And while 2015 didn't see any pedestrian fatalities, coastal towns along the Route 1 corridor are still concerned not enough is being done to prevent them.

Both Dewey Beach and South Bethany town officials are discussing ongoing issues with traffic on Route 1. On Fenwick Island, the newly inaugurated Mayor Eugene Langan said one of his primary goals is to address pedestrian safety on the highway.

"I want sidewalks in town all up and down Route 1,” he said in August.

And while some towns have addressed the problem in years past, such as new sidewalks in Rehoboth Beach or additional signage in Dewey Beach, Delaware in general has a history of being pedestrian-unfriendly.

Danger: Do not cross in Delaware

From 2012 to 2013, pedestrians were twice as likely to be struck by vehicles than in any other state.

Wide highways, small shoulders and no sidewalks cause headaches for those on foot and a lack of proper or effective crosswalks causes many to take their chances crossing several lanes of traffic.

Route 1's problem is not quite the same as, say, Route 13. From Fenwick Island up until near the Tanger Outlets in Rehoboth, it's a two-lane road that shifts its speed limit anywhere from 25 mph to 55 mph.

But it also poses a unique challenge in the summer, when it becomes one of the most heavily trafficked roads in the county. Tourists regularly use the main thoroughfare to hop from shopping at the aforementioned outlets to a night out on the town in Dewey and back to quiet, calm resort towns in Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island.

It's a cause for concern says John Kurpjuweit, safety advocate and president of Sussex Cyclists.

"Crossing route 1 is definitely a problem," Kurpjuweit said. "A lot of people don’t want to walk 100 yards or 200 yards to a (crosswalk)."

In Dewey Beach, town officials have begun discussions with the state's Department of Transportation about how to address the issue.

During the summer season, Dewey Beach becomes a heavily trafficked destination for nightlife, whether it's on foot or behind the wheel. Members of town council met with DelDOT officials back in December and are continuing to have an ongoing dialogue about solutions.

Route 1 is the lifeblood of Dewey Beach, as nearly all major attractions in town are based around the highway. But because so many are within walking distance of one another, it creates risky situations for pedestrians trying to cross the street during the peak hours of traffic.

Whereas for Fenwick Island, it's more tangential. It's less about the traffic on Route 1 than it is about the traffic coming off the highway.

At a Friday meeting, a number of residents talked about the difficulty of dealing with traffic that uses the Cat Hill housing development as a cut through between Route 1 and Kent Avenue. Because Cat Hill connects Route 1 and Kent Avenue, which runs parallel to Route 1 and connects with Route 26 as well, savvy drivers can use it as a way to avoid traffic jams.

This is much to the chagrin of some of the residents of the quiet resort town, who described the summer season as treacherous for pedestrians in the area, with cars ignoring the speed limit and rolling through stop signs.

"If we’re thinking about this problem, we ought to be thinking about measures like the barricade we had in the past," councilman Wayne Schrader said.

But for resident Jay Headman, who said roughly half the traffic ignores the 25 mph speed limit and regularly sees motorists careening around curves, the increase in interest of coastal Sussex and by extension Route 1 threatens the "quiet and tranquility" of Cat Hill.

"These issues have created a very unsafe situation for those who walk, run or bike on these roads," Headman said.

A legislative taskforce convened specifically to address safety issues on Route 1 led DelDOT to add additional traffic lights in place of planned crosswalks. In addition, the "Your Speed Is..." signs are meant to slow down drivers who don't comply with the lower speed limits.

Kurpjuweit said it might not be enough. While 2015 was a less fatal year for pedestrians than years past, the interest in the area is on the rise and with it comes traffic.

"Route 1 is not a superhighway," Kurpjuweit said. "I don’t see additional signals to allow pedestrians to cross as a problem."

"But then I’m old and I’m not in a particular hurry," he added.

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