Traffic & Parking: A Study to Identify Solutions

Over the summer, the City of Rehoboth Beach implemented temporary traffic-calming and pedestrian-safety measures on King Charles Avenue. To help assess the effectiveness of these measures, a survey was made available throughout the summer. 106 survey responses were received - 39 responses were received in person in the field by representatives from Rossi Group, the city's traffic study consultant, while the others were submitted online. Of all 106 responses received, 73.6% came from residents/property owners, 21.7% from visitors, and 4.7% from individuals who identified themselves as "other." The survey was closed September 3.

The Rehoboth Beach Board of Commissioners agreed in a special meeting January 9 to move forward with several “immediate focus” recommendations put forward by the Rossi Group as part of its preliminary traffic and parking study report made to commissioners last month. Rossi Group is expected to make its final traffic and parking study report and recommendations to commissioners in the spring. While Rossi’s initial December report focused on several items deemed to be relatively easy to achieve, the final report will focus on items that may require additional conversation, policy changes, or longer-term implementation.

Among the recommendations on which the city will move forward before the coming summer season are a pedestrian pilot program on King Charles Avenue, more clearly identifying 30-minute parking spaces, installation of “Walk Your Wheels” markings on sidewalks, and installation of additional “yield to pedestrians” signage.

To address requests for crosswalks and concerns related to speeding and sightlines, the city will use temporary materials, such as paint and bollards, to install curb bump outs at King Charles and New Castle Street and will install temporary crosswalks with relief islands in the middle at King Charles and Stockley Street. In addition, the city will mark parallel parking spaces between Stockley and New Castle to test out whether striping improves or hinders parking capacity. This pilot program will be assessed over the coming summer season.

The city also will install “State Law – Yield to Pedestrians” signs on both the east- and westbound signal masts at Rehoboth Avenue and 1^st and 2^nd streets.

To better identify 30-minute parking spaces, the city will add a “30-minute parking” stencil and colored stripe at the entrances to such parking spaces throughout the city. And, to enhance pedestrian safety, the city will install “Walk Your Wheels” markings on sidewalks throughout the downtown commercial area.

In addition, the city will request that DelDOT undertake a signal timing and leading pedestrian indicator study at Rehoboth Avenue and 1^st and 2^nd streets during the coming season. The city also will continue to implement a plan to meet current standards for accessible parking spaces and trim or replace plantings along Rehoboth Avenue to enhance sightlines.

All of these recommendations, says Interim City Manager Evan Miller, can be implemented utilizing the city’s current staffing and budget.

Commissioners also have discussed several additional potential changes to parking in Rehoboth Beach for the coming season and are expected to vote on these items at upcoming meetings. Among these potential changes are:

• Transition parking at Deauville Beach to a metered parking zone and set the price at $3/hour to match current pricing for the rest of the city. Parking permits would no longer be accepted at Deauville Beach. “This change,” says Miller, “provides for a more efficient system that allows us to utilize the technology we’ve invested in. It will allow us to enforce parking in the same manner that we do in other areas of the city.”
• Eliminate the need for those seeking a scooter parking permit to complete an application.
• Provide a single daily parking permit rather than a different permit for weekdays and weekends. The cost of this permit for 2024 is proposed to be $20.
• Add the current prohibition of parking on the median along Scarborough Avenue to the city’s code and consider making the area a tow zone.
• Increase the fine amount for parallel parking violations from $15 to $50.
• Authorize a one-time adjustment to certain overtime parking violations, when wrong license plate or vehicle information has been entered, from $30 to $15 if paid within a seven-day period.

Commissioners also anticipate undertaking this year a comprehensive review of parking season dates and rates once the traffic and parking study is completed and in preparation for the 2025 summer season.

Do you have comments about these initiatives? Share them with us via the comments tool above.

The traffic & parking stakeholder survey was live from October 24-November 26, 2023. The survey received a total of 665 responses, all of which were shared with the city's traffic and parking study consultant, Rossi Group. Below is a synopsis of survey results.

1. As mentioned above, competing demands vie for limited space in the downtown Rehoboth Beach core area. How would you prioritize the following uses for space allocation? Rank options from 1-4 with 1 being the top priority.

Options Avg. - Rank

Pedestrian accessible areas - 2.00

Vehicular parking in the downtown core area - 2.02

Delivery/drop-off/pick-up parking - 2.93

Bike, scooter, and other micro-mobility accommodations - 3.01

2. Of the following, which do you believe contributes most to parking challenges in Rehoboth Beach? Rank options 1-6 with 1 being the biggest contributor to challenges and 6 being the smallest.

Options Avg. - Rank

Lack of turnover at existing spaces - 2.53

Insufficient alternatives to parking in the commercial core - 2.75

Delivery vehicles blocking parking spaces - 3.50

Inadequate information about available permit parking types, prices, locations - 3.59

Inadequate information about available metered parking locations - 3.65

Lack of enforcement of illegal/improper parking - 4.80

3. Of the following, which do you believe contributes most to traffic congestion in Rehoboth Beach? Rank options 1-4 with 1 being the biggest contributor to congestion and 4 being the smallest.

Options Avg. - Rank

Total number of motor vehicles (volume of cars) - 1.67

Insufficient infrastructure/capacity for motorized vehicles - 2.32

Insufficient alternative transportation options and related infrastructure - 2.67

Delivery vehicles loading and unloading in travel lanes (not using loading zones) - 3.29

4. If you believe that there are additional contributing factors to parking challenges and traffic congestion in Rehoboth Beach, not listed in the questions above, please list them here.

291 text responses were received. Common themes among responses included:

• Insufficient parking
• Overdevelopment/too populated
• Lack of public transportation options
• Poor traffic signalization/operations
• Not enough bicycle/pedestrian facilities
• Need for improved parking signage and marking

5. Prioritize your support for the following potential parking solutions. Rank options 1-5 with 1 being your top priority.

Options Avg. - Rank

Additional parking in downtown Rehoboth Beach (i.e., a parking garage) - 1.96

Enhanced shuttle/transit options from offsite parking - 2.46

Better signage/promotion of metered and permit parking areas - 3.33

Striping parking spaces in permit areas where spaces are not currently marked - 3.41

Expanding metered parking areas into existing permit areas beyond commercia core - 3.69

6. Prioritize your support for the following potential transportation solutions. Rank options 1-5 with 1 being the top priority.

Options Avg. - Rank

Enhanced shuttle/transit options - 2.14

Enhanced crosswalk safety measures - 2.54

Enhanced destination wayfinding signage noting parking areas, parks, points of interest - 2.83

Shared lane/biking markings or signage - 3.51

Enhanced traffic-calming measures - 3.82

7. What additional potential parking and transportation solutions would you suggest?

285 text responses were received. Common themes among responses included:

• More parking
• More public transportation
• Improvement of bicycle/pedestrian facilities
• Incentivize metered parking turnover
• Increased traffic calming and enforcement

8. How many blocks would you be willing to walk from parking to your destination?