MILTON, Del. - DelDOT completed work to install two more stop signs at the intersection of Atlantic, Chestnut and Wharton streets Oct. 15. The intersection was previously only a two-way stop, with signs on Atlantic and Wharton street.
"We have wanted it for a long time. We often sit on the front porch, and we see so many accidents and near-misses at that intersection. So many people assume it already is a four way stop. So they stop, but then they go right in front of the other car." said Krista Scudlark, who lives in Milton. "I was hit a couple of years ago, and the guy was so apologetic. He kept saying, well, I stopped, but I said, but I didn't have to stop."
This change comes after much contemplation with the Town of Milton. The Milton Traffic Calming Advisory Ad-hoc Committee conducted a survey of people who live in town and was identified as one of the top three concerning traffic concerns in a report to the council in 2021.
In 2022, a unanimous vote from council passed a motion approving a recommendation from the Streets and Sidewalks Committee to install the all-way stop along with painted crosswalks, stop bars and ADA infrastructure. However, in April 2023, council did not "ratify" their March vote that approved the intersection conversion.
The ADA compliant infrastructure began to be installed while the additional stop signs were left out. This year, a workshop resulted in the town requesting DelDOT install the stop signs as well.