FENWICK ISLAND – Officials in Fenwick Island say they are considering a symposium to discuss potential traffic-calming measures along Bunting Avenue.
Earlier this year, the town began working with an engineering circuit rider with the Delaware Center for Transportation to observe traffic conditions along Bunting Avenue, Maryland Avenue and Island Street and produce recommendations that would reduce cut-through traffic and speeding along those roads.
And late last month, the town council took its first steps to address those concerns by voting to purchase and place temporary speed bumps along Maryland Avenue and Island Street.
In an update this week, Councilman Richard Benn told members of the Fenwick Island Infrastructure Committee that Public Works Manager Mike Locke would be resubmitting the expenditure request to the town council after learning the cost of the speed bumps was more than originally anticipated. Following the council vote, the temporary speed bumps would be tested along the two side streets.
“We’re going to get input from the community once we put them in,” he said.
Benn noted, however, that the biggest discussion topic continued to be Bunting Avenue. One of the suggestions presented to the infrastructure committee earlier this summer was a plan to convert Bunting into a one-way street, with vehicular traffic on one side and a bike and pedestrian pathway on the other.
“I’m getting all kinds of mixed signals on that idea,” he told committee members this week. “They are either diametrically opposed or they think it’s the best thing that will ever happen.”
To better gauge public opinion, Benn said there had been some discussion with Fenwick Island Planning Commission Chair Amy Kyle about holding a symposium.
“Amy suggested in conjunction with planning commission to do a symposium on Bunting, to get ideas,” he said. “I think it’s a wonderful idea.”
Kyle, however, noted that the commission wanted the infrastructure committee’s input.
“We haven’t set any date,” she said. “We wanted to give your group a chance, to see what you thought.”
Benn said he wanted to give the community time to share ideas.
Committee member Tim Leahy agreed.
“We shouldn’t talk about Bunting until we get more input from the community,” he said.
Benn noted that a suggestion to make Bunting Avenue a one-way street could cause issues for truck drivers and motorists not familiar with the area. In the meantime, he suggested other traffic-calming measures.
“My thought was to start with ‘No Thru Traffic’ signs and see if that will cut down on some of the cut-through traffic,” he said.
