HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, NEW CASTLE COUNTY, SR 52 AND SR 82 VIRTUAL WORKSHOP

Video
WELCOME TO THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S VIRTUAL WORKSHOP FOR THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTES 52 AND 82 IN GREENVILLE.   THE GOALS OF THE VIRTUAL WORKSHOP FORMAT ARE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR MORE PEOPLE TO VIEW THE PROJECT INFORMATION, AND TO REDUCE THE COSTS INVOLVED IN TRADITIONAL PUBLIC WORKSHOPS.
THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 52-KENNETT PIKE AND ROUTE 82-CAMPBELL ROAD-KIRK ROAD WAS PLACED IN THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM DUE TO THE HIGH RATE OF ACCIDENTS AS COMPARED TO OTHER SITES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.  FROM 2004 THROUGH 2008, 73 REPORTED CRASHES OCCURRED AT THIS LOCATION.  AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS VIDEO FILMED BY THE DELDOT PROJECT MANAGER IN 2009, A CYCLIST HAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONFLICT WITH A CAR.






Introduction
TO HELP IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF THE INTERSECTION THIS PROJECT WILL REQUIRE MILLING, OVERLAYING, AND RESTRIPING OF THE NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND ROUTE 52 APPROACHES TO THE ROUTE 82 INTERSECTION TO PROVIDE A LEFT-TURN LANE, A THROUGH LANE, AND A RIGHT-TURN LANE.  THIS WILL ALSO REQUIRE RECONSTRUCTING THE ROUTE 52 SHOULDERS AND THE ROUTE 82 PAVEMENT EDGE. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS TO PLACE BIKE LANES THROUGH THE RIGHT-TURN LANE AND LIGHTING THE INTERSECTION.
BASED UPON AVAILABLE FUNDING, THE DESIGN PHASE IS FROM SUMMER 2008 TO SPRING 2010.  CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BEGIN IN FALL 2010.  FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNTS FOR NINETY-PERCENT OF THE PROJECT COST.  THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OTHER TEN-PERCENT.
THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THIS PROJECT, SHOULDERS AND LANES WILL BE CLOSED ONE SIDE AT A TIME ON ROUTE 52 AND UNDER THE CONTROL OF FLAGGERS ON ROUTE 82, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF NIGHT WORK.  IT WILL ALSO REQUIRE RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION ALONG ROUTES 52 AND 82, RELOCATION OF UTLITY POLES AND SOME TREE REMOVAL.  TREE IMPACTS WILL BE ADDRESSED IN KEEPING WITH THE STATE’S TREE MITIGATION POLICY.





Accident Data
OF THE 73 ACCIDENTS IN A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD, 56-PERCENT WERE REAR-END CRASHES, MOSTLY ATTRIBUTED BY THE SHARED-LEFT THROUGH-LANE.  36-PERCENT RESULTED IN INJURIES, INCLUDING TWO FATALITIES.  20-PERCENT OCCURRED AT NIGHT.

Overview
THE PROJECT LIMITS LIE WITHIN SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET OF THE INTERSECTION.  THE PROJECT WILL IMPACT ABOUT 800-FEET NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION ALONG ROUTE 52; ABOUT ELEVEN-HUNDRED-FEET SOUTH OF THE INTERSECTION ALONG ROUTE 52, BUT NOT PASSING SUNNYSIDE ROAD; ABOUT SIX-HUNDRED-FEET EAST OF THE INTERSECTION  ALONG KIRK ROAD UP TO BROOKMEADOW ROAD; AND ABOUT FOUR-HUNDRED-FEET WEST OF THE INTERSECTION ALONG ROUTE 82/CAMPBELL ROAD.

Bike lanes
THERE ARE TWO DESIGN OPTIONS. THE FIRST DESIGN SHOWS THE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE ADDITION OF BICYCLE LANES.  THIS OPTION WOULD WIDEN KENNETT PIKE BY TEN TO SIXTEEN FEET.

No bike lanes
THE SECOND OPTION WOULD NOT INCLUDE BICYCLE LANES AND WOULD WIDEN KENNETT PIKE BY FIVE TO TEN FEET.

Issues
THIS PROJECT IS RELATIVELY EARLY IN THE DESIGN PHASE AND AS SUCH, HAS SEVERAL UNRESOLVED ISSUES.  DELDOT IS INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE OR NOT SEE AT THIS INTERSECTION.  QUESTIONS TO THE PUBLIC INCLUDE:  SHOULD DELDOT TO CONSIDER DOING NIGHT WORK? THIS WOULD REDUCE THE IMPACT TO TRAFFIC AND COULD ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO FINISH SOONER.  
DO YOU AGREE WITH ADDING BICYLCE LANES ON ROUTE 52? 
HOW UTILIZED ARE THE BUS STOPS ON ROUTE 52? 
HOW MUCH PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY IS THERE AT THIS LOCATION? 
HOW SHOULD DELDOT MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY WITH THE BRANDYWINE AND RED CLAY SCENIC BYWAYS? 
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO CHOOSE AND REPLACE THE TREES THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT? 
WOULD THE COMMUNITY LIKE THIS INTERSECTION TO BE LIGHTED?




IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS, YOU MAY SUBMIT THEM ONLINE BY CLICKING ON THE LINK, “SEND US YOUR COMMENTS”.  OR YOU MAY CALL TOLL FREE TO 800-652-5600, OR CALL LOCALLY 760-2080.  COMMENTS MAY ALSO BE MAILED TO DELDOT PUBLIC RELATIONS, P.O. BOX 778, DOVER, DELAWARE, 19903.  COMMENTS ARE DUE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE POSTING OF THIS VIRTUAL WORKSHOP ON THE INTERNET.

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S VIRTUAL WORKSHOP.