The Traffic Studies group counted pedestrian volumes and bicycles on SR 1 in Middlesex Beach on July 23, 2005. Counts were made between the hours of 7-10 am, 11 am -2 pm and 3-6 pm for a total of nine hours of the summer Saturday. Counts were made at Bridge Road and Errett Road. Both pedestrians and bicyclists were counted. For study purposes bikes were considered as pedestrians. A spreadsheet that presents the data is attached. Recommendations and Conclusions Traffic Control Signal The Pedestrian Volume Warrant for a traffic control signal at Bridge Road is not met. A traffic control signal is not considered needed because there are not 100 or more pedestrians for each of any 4 hours or 190 pedestrians or more during any 1 hour crossing SR 1. Our observer counted pedestrians at other locations in addition to Bridge Road. Even if we were to consider them in total at one location, the warrant is still not met. Also, our observer noted that there were a sufficient number of gaps in the traffic stream of adequate length that allowed pedestrians to cross SR 1. He did not observe any conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles. Pavement Markings Given the success of the pavement arrows in the Bridge Road median opening, we will make arrangements for similar markings to be placed in the median opening on SR 1 at Bayberry Road. Signs The Pedestrian signs are used to alert road users in advance of locations where unexpected entries into the roadway or shared use of the roadway by pedestrians might occur. Since this is a vacation/resort area, pedestrians crossing to and from the beach at any intersection is not an unexpected event. There are numerous signs along the entire length of SR 1/Coastal Highway in your and all the beach front communities that alert drivers of pedestrian activity. It is readily apparent that there are, and will be, pedestrians crossing SR 1 at multiple locations. Therefore, we balance the number of signs between what we consider to be an effective number that provides for sufficient warning to drivers and pedestrian safety, with the number of signs if we were to place them virtually everywhere. We added more pedestrian warning signs to the Middlesex Beach vicinity recently at your request and consider this to be an effective number of signs. More than one sign is visible at a time to drivers as they pass through Middlesex Beach on SR 1. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these signs and will add more in the future if considered necessary for pedestrian safety. Tom Meyer Traffic Studies Engineer Delaware Department of Transportation