More than 50 residents waited their turn to speak in opposition to the proposed Milltown Square, a mixed-use approximately 90,000-square-foot development for the soutwest corner of Milltown and Limestone roads at a Dec. 2 public hearing.
Residents from Sherwood Park I and II, Arundel, Limestone Acres, those who live off Old Limestone Road and other community members voiced many of the same objections expressed about Milltown Square in a meeting last May.
Traffic and speeding on Limestone Road were some of the most common concerns among numerous presented by residents.
The speed limit is 40 miles per hour at the intersection of Limestone and Milltown roads. A resident video showing a Newport Police officer tracking speed by radar at the intersection showed cars, on average, traveling 55 to 60 miles per hour.
The proposed site would also turn Old Limestone Road into a two-way street. When Old Limestone Road was the only Limestone Road it was a two-way street, but changed to one-way for safety issues sometime after Rt. 7 was built.
“It changed to one way for a reason,” said State Rep. Mike Ramone (R-Pike Creek). “There were so many accidents. Why is it okay to make it an in and out now when it wasn’t safe 20 years ago?”
Ramone also said that the traffic impact study passed by only one tenth of one percent.
Traffic access and impact studies gather and analyze information that will help determine the need for improvements to road systems inside, next to or nearby proposed development.
Bill Wolfe, who has lived in Limestone Acres for 22 years, about a quarter of a mile from the proposed site, said the new mixed-use plan would result in more people in his neighborhood. It would be easier to turn around in his neighborhood than make a left turn in a higher traffic area.
Residents were also concerned about increased traffic at rush hours.
St. John the Beloved, the largest Catholic school in the diocese of Wilmington; Dickinson High School that has about 1,100 students and is not filled to capacity and McKean that has about 1,000 students are all in close proximity and let out about the same time causing.
Ramesh Batta, of Ramesh Batta Associates, said he does not believe there would be a bigger traffic problem with the proposed site.
“It’s absolutely not going to be [that big of a difference],” he said. “And you can quote me on that.”
Residents also expressed concerns about safety of people walking in the area and drainage.
