Mount Hope Residents Assn.

I am sure everyone is aware of the plans for 301. I feel that this road should be placed in the existing 301 coridor and should not be routed onto Rt.15. I went to the workshops and was very displeased to see that three of the five plans were slated to run up Rt15. I am content with one large road and I will not accept being squeezed between two mega-highways.

301 Debacle

Before jumping to conclusions, we all need to understand the impacts (good and bad) of the different solutions/options. For more information, please see:

http://www.deldot.gov/static/projects/us301/june05_boards.html

DelDOT is GOING to do something to address capacity and, more importantly to Middletown Village residents, safety concerns for the Middletown section of US 301. We can't accept the poor and unsafe traffic conditions that we all must face each and every day exiting and entering Middletown Village from US 301 (we ALL need groceries and the ability to drive to work).

What we can do as Middletown Village residents is make sure that the safety issues of our community our met; which also includes Police and Fire response times, the impacts of creating a limited access highway on the existing US 301 alignment, as well as the impacts of creating a physical seperation from the rest of the Town. DelDOT will be required to provide EXTENSIVE noise mitigation along any limited access 'truck route' that would run to the West of Middletown Village. These are the types of issues that we as Middletown Village residents need to provide constructive comments towards.

Like a resident of the Springmill Subdivision was quoted as saying, and I paraphrase, 'If this was in [another state], no public workshop would have been provided.' US 301 is coming, so let's make the best out of our situation.

Options for 301

Either route of a new 301 will greatly impact our community. The ''on alignment'' alternative, I personally feel, will be the worst option for Middletown Village. As this option stands right now, 301 would be widened from 1 lane each direction to 2 lanes each direction, with access roads on either side. This would essentially mean that 301 will be widened from 2 lanes to 8 lanes, essentially cutting Middletown Village off from the rest of Middletown. Right now, it is possible, if you are patient, to cross the road on foot or bike to reach shopping, the ice cream store etc which is important, particularly for our teens who have few places to go and few things to do in middletown. 8 lanes of traffic will isolate us and most likely prevent us from reaching any stores without getting in a car and going under an underpass! This option would also result in a fair number of the twin homes being bulldozed, as well as the burger king and possibly parts of the little shopping center.

I have presented an idea to a few people that would support the by-pass highway along route 15, while making exisitng 301 a local road, with a low speed limit (say 35 mph), with sidewalks and landscaping on each side. THis option would get truck traffic out of middletown, make 301 more attractive and enable us to walk and enjoy what the east side of middletown has to offer.