DEWEY BEACH, DE -- Several residents expressed concerns about close calls and accidents on Route One at a recent Dewey Beach Town Commissioners meeting, sparking the idea to form a safety committee.
Dewey resident Julie Sarau says she watched someone get hit by a car at an intersection on Route One in town last summer. She says blinking crosswalk signs and a new speed limit trailer have made made matters safer, but speeding drivers still pose a big threat.
"There's no reason for anybody to go through this town at 60 miles an hour," says Sarau. "There's no place you have to be that is that important."
Town commissioner say they have have implemented stenciled reminders on crosswalks, lines to deter cars from switching lanes near crosswalks, and increased police enforcement. They are also planning to extend the 'Dewey Wave' to the entrance of town to deter jaywalking and are asking the state to lower the blinking beacons to make them more visible.
But, Sarau says more steps need to be taken.
"What we need now is more public awareness and people to be cognizant and mindful that there are people here vacationing," adds Sarau.
It's why Dewey Beach Commissioner Paul Bauer pitched the idea of a public safety committee to brainstorm more ideas. He says it's not a quick fix, but it is a start.
"We're gonna put it out in our next newsletter to get some volunteers, and we'll see what kind of suggestions we'll have and what's doable and what's not doable," says Bauer.
Town commissioners say they also plan to continue to work with DelDOT to put any new safety measures in place on Route One.
