Dover/Kent County MPO

Dover/Kent County MPO Hires New Executive Director

Dover/Kent County MPO has new executive director Reed Macmillan hired to take on role as agency leader CAMDEN — The Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization has hired a new executive director. On Oct. 18, the MPO Council voted to approve the hire of Reed Macmillan. Macmillan’s first day at the MPO will be Monday, Oct. 30. “I am happy to have been selected as the next executive director for the Dover/Kent MPO and look forward working with the MPO staff and council as we continue to perform regional transportation planning services and transportation planning coordination within the region,” Macmillan said. Macmillan, of Middletown, comes to the MPO from New Castle County government where he has worked since 2002. Most recently, he worked in New Castle County’s Department of Land Use as the assistant land use general manager. There, Macmillan performed high level management duties overseeing the department’s various operations and functions. These duties included comprehensive planning, licensing and building inspections, permitting, land development plan review, zoning, transportation, historic preservation, administrative hearings and more. Prior to his employment with New Castle County, Macmillan worked for Kent County’s Department of Planning Services, and in Aberdeen, Md. for the Aberdeen Proving Ground in its environmental conservation and restoration division. He also served as an environmental specialist for the Maryland Military Department, Fifth Regiment Armory, located in Baltimore. Macmillan is a retired U.S. Army Reserve officer whose last assignment was in 2015 for the First Mobilization Support Group in Fort Totten, N.Y. During his service, Macmillan was deployed twice overseas with the military to Kuwait in 2004, and to Iraq in 2008. “As chairman of the Dover/Kent County MPO, I am pleased to welcome Mr. Macmillan on board,” Dover Mayor and MPO Council Chairman Robin R. Christiansen said. “As  Kent County continues to grow, we need to not only plan for all modes of transportation today, but anticipate the needs of a growing and prosperous community in the future. Mr. Macmillan his staff will help make that vision  a reality.”  Macmillan has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Environmental Planning, both from Towson University, and a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. The Dover/Kent County welcomes Macmillan to the team. He will be the MPO’s third executive director in its 25-year existence. The first was Juanita Wieczoreck from 1994 to 2011, followed by Rich Vetter who served as executive director from 2011 to earlier this year.

FY2016-2019 TIP: Public comment period to run for proposed amendment, Glenwood Avenue project

The Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization is seeking public comment on a proposed amendment to its FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). This comment period will start on Tuesday, Sept. 8 and end on Thursday, Oct. 8. The proposed amendment calls for the removal of a project on Route 300, Glenwood Avenue, in Smyrna. This project’s scope called for revisions to several existing commercial entrances, channelization of some entrances, the installation of a new traffic signal and a myriad of revisions for signs and stripes on the road. Delaware’s Department of Transportation had put the road in its 2009 Hazard Elimination Program, citing improvements were needed to revise the commercial entrances through the corridor to reduce the severity and frequency of crashes. In March, DelDOT decided to withdraw the intended project following a February public workshop in Smyrna where community members, Smyrna police and town officials opposed the work and asked DelDOT to reassess the safety needs for the area. After reassessing the project as requested,  DelDOT’s  findings indicated that the project was no longer necessary. The Dover/Kent County MPO is running a public comment period on the removal of the project because the project is listed in its TIP in addition to DelDOT’s Capital Transportation Program (CTP). Projects listed in the TIP must also appear in the CTP. Further information regarding the proposed TIP amendment is available for view as FULL FY2016-2019 TIP AMENDED 9-2-2015 PENDING . For more information, or to comment on the application, call (302) 387-6026 or (302) 387-6030. E-mailed comments go to kate.layton@doverkentmpo.org.  

Dover/Kent County MPO office closed for Labor Day

The Dover/Kent County MPO office will be closed on Monday, Sept. 7 in observance of Labor Day. Offices will re-open as usual on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Thank you, and have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Council amends FY 2016-2019 TIP

On Sept. 2, the Dover/Kent County MPO Council voted to approve three amendments to the MPO’s FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Plan. The first amendment refers to an addition of a third lane in both the northbound and southbound directions of U.S. 13 from Lochmeath Way in Camden to Walnut Shade Road near Woodside. In addition to the roadway widening, work would involve storm water management facilities, multiple intersection redesigns, traffic signal reconfigurations and improvements for multiple transportation modes. Design for the $17.5 million project is scheduled for fiscal year 2018. The second amendment involves the Camden Bypass, from South Street to Rising Sun Road. The project would provide a connection on new alignment from South Street to a new signalized intersection at U.S. 13, and extending to State Route 10. The road would align Rising Sun Road with Route 10 and maintain the signal at Camden-Wyoming Avenue and U.S. 13. The rationale for the $13.2 million project is, the project is part of the Camden Bypass Study that was adopted in to the Town of Camden’s comprehensive plan. The intent of the project is to provide a bypass alternative to relieve congestion and heavy vehicles from downtown Camden. Project design is scheduled to start in fiscal year 2017. The third amendment involves road improvements to Walnut Shade road, starting at the intersection of Walnut Shade and U.S. 13 to Peachtree Run Road. Work would include upgrading the road to accommodate traffic as well as build in walking and bicycling amenities. Estimated cost for the project is nearly $12 million. Project design is expected to start in fiscal year 2019. 07 30 15 CTP FY 15 Camden Bypass, South Street to Rising Sun Road 14-00029 KC 07 30 15 CTP FY 15 HEP KC, US13 Walnut Shade Rd. to Lochmeath Way 15-00013 KC 07 30 15 CTP FY 15 Walnut Shade Road, US13 to Peachtree Run Road 14-00030 KC

Winter Newsletter

It’s chilly outside, but the Dover/Kent County MPO’s winter edition of its newsletter, Journeys, is hot off the press. Click here to read your copy. It is also available by going to the home page and looking under the Publications menu.