Open house offers insights into Five Points area planning
The public had an opportunity to learn more about transportation initiatives in the Five Points area and speak with transportation officials one on one during an open house June 14 at Cape Henlopen High School.
In addition to a half dozen stations focused on specific topics, two presentations were made about the history of the Five Points Working Group and the progress that’s been made on the 78 recommendations the group made in Phase 1 of the program, which began in 2017.
To date, 25 recommendations have been completed, with 29 in progress, eight ongoing – meaning they’ll always be in progress – and 16 categorized as long-term initiatives.
The group has five priorities for 2023:
• Evaluate the use of land made available by narrowing lanes for landscape and multimodal trails or parks
• Study potential locations and designs for aesthetically pleasing gateways to coastal Sussex County
• Improve lane markings and signs at identified intersections: Five Points, Dartmouth Drive/Kings Highway, Plantation Road/Beaver Dam Road
• Identify locations in the study area where bike parking can be provided.
Work will also continue on recommendations that are already in progress, as well as coordination with developers to take advantage of opportunities to incorporate improvements that further Five Points Transportation Study recommendations and the operation and management of the Henlopen Transportation Improvement District.
Several large projects are underway or will be starting soon, including the ongoing work to add a roundabout and other improvements to the intersection fo Route 9, Beaver Dam Road and Plantation Road and the upcoming project to add a grade-separated intersection at Minos Conaway Road and the Nassau Bridge along Route 1. In total, DelDOT consultant Leah Kacanda said about $204 million in state and federal funding is committed to transportation projects in the Five Points area over the next six fiscal years.
In addition to Five Points area projects, open house attendees could also learn about the work of the Coastal Corridors Committee, which is analyzing issues and making recommendations related to Route 9 and Route 16 between Route 113 and Route 1; the Preliminary Land Use Service process; the Henlopen Transportation Improvement District; active transportation; and project development.
To view the presentation or send a comment, go to publicinput.com/5Points. Comment forms may also be mailed to DelDOT Community Relations, ATTN: Five Points Transportation Study, P.O. Box 778, Dover, DE 19903 or sent via email to 5Points@publicinput.com.
