KENT COUNTY, De. -- Drivers are reportedly flying through Little Creek, a small town with a population of around 200 people. The culprits, according to neighbors, are not locals but out-of-towners looking for a shortcut to the beach.
Edward Strouse, Little Creek's mayor, said the problem begins several miles away from town.
If drivers are on the way to the beach and want to exit Route 1, their GPS likely directs them to Smyrna-Leipsic Road, which then leads them to Route 9. Well, Route 9 is a straight shot through Little Creek, which allows drivers and their bad speeding habits to zoom through the small Kent County community.
"Well, more people are speeding than not, I'll put it that way," said Daniel Macdonald, who lives in Little Creek.
Heather Burke works at Little Creek Grill and often has a front-row seat to the speeding problem.
"They come flying down through here, 50, 60 miles an hour," said Burke. "I've seen big rigs come down here at least 45, 50 miles an hour."
Both Macdonald and Burke have data to support their claims.
Throughout 2022 and 2023, the town conducted multiple speed surveys. The most recent one occurred in April 2023. In that month, an estimated 62,000 cars drove through Little Creek, where the speed limit is 25 MPH.
15% of those cars were traveling over 50 MPH.
"It's a problem, I mean itreally is a problem," said Macdonald.
Little Creek does not have a police department, so the town relies on help from the Delaware State Police. Hiring a DSP officer to enforce speed, however, would be too costly, according to Strouse.
He said it costs roughly $99 an hour, and the tickets collected and associated fines rarely reimburse the town for the expenses incurred. He also said DSP was not willing to participate in any efforts to install speed cameras.
In August 2023, the town installed a stop sign at the corner of Main Street and Port Mahon Road. So far, it hasn't proved to be very effective.
"It's terrible, this is awful, it's just an awful thing," said Macdonald. "They might not have seen the stop sign last year, but it's plainly marked through town there and I think they just don't want to stop."
Strouse said the town is currently working with the Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization and has previously worked with State Senator Eric Buckson and Mayor Matt Meyer to come up with solutions.
Strouse is also concerned that if the proposed toll increases take effect, it could encourage more drivers to cut through Little Creek.
DelDOT Director of Community Relations C.R. McLeod told WBOC drivers will typically look for ways to avoid tolls in the weeks following a hike. However, that trend tends to dip back down in the long term.
He also said DelDOT is available to work with the town on traffic calming measures, such as a traffic circle, traffic light, or speed bumps.