Main Street America members visit local area as part of Thriving Communities

Main Street America members from across the country visited the area to learn more about Milford and Slaughter Beach

For two days in January, the Town of Slaughter Beach along with the City of Milford hosted visitors from Main Street America (MSA) with a goal toward building safer passage between the two towns across Route 1 – the main thoroughfare to the beaches running north/south through the state and separating our two communities.

With a goal toward expanding safer passage for pedestrians, cyclists and mobility restricted riders, the town and city are working with the University of Delaware Grant Assistance Program (GAP) team to complete the application process, coordinate the site visit, and manage all the steps required by the grant issuer, the US Department of Transportation.

“Knowing the goal and getting to completion will be a long task but all parties are deeply invested in improving access to the beach with its park facilities,” Julia Geha, Town Manager of Slaughter Beach, said. “There is such potential for education and understanding of the environment in our town that blends perfectly with the commerce and employment opportunities in the City of Milford.”

This Milford/Slaughter Beach project would have a big impact in promoting use of Milford as a shopping/eating destination. By improving a safer crossing on Route 1 between the two towns, Slaughter Beach would remain a quiet beach community working to preserve and protect the natural environment while having more opportunities to educate regional residents about the Marvel Salt Marsh, Delaware Bay, and Primehook National Wildlife Refuge. Each of these natural habitats offers diverse eco-systems and wildlife sanctuaries.

Participants in the two-day event included representatives from the Department of Transportation Byways, Rails to Trails, Rural Community Assistance Partnership, DuPont Nature Center, Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, the Delaware Sea Grant, Delaware Greenways, University of Delaware Coastal Resilience Design Studio (CRDS), Sussex Cyclists, Southern Delaware Tourism, Dover/Kent Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), and Bike Delaware.

The group traveled throughout the area, visiting locations like Slaughter Beach, Prime Hook, duPont Nature Center and took a walking tour of Milford.