Dover Municipal Freight Plan final draft revealed

February 27, 2025 6

DOVER – The final draft of the Dover Municipal Freight Plan has been released by the Dover/Kent Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), outlining a series of steps city leaders should take to make safer and more efficient travels.

The plan was crafted over a couple of years with input from the public and other entities such as the Delaware Department of Transportation, Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce, Kent Economic Partnership (KEP) and Whitman, Requardt & Associates (WRA).

Recommendations include: regulations requiring truck parking and staging for developers working on manufacturing, warehouse or logistics facilities, as well as the adoption of a freight considerations checklist developed by the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) and currently recommended for use by the state, among other recommendations.

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The Dover Municipal Freight Plan comes at a time when Dover had seen major developments, such as the joint use agreement with the Dover Air Force Base and the success seen at Garrison Oak.

“We do anticipate [the new agreement at Dover Air Force Base] will bring more truck volumes to the east part of the city to and from the Air Force Base Civil Air Terminal,” WRA Senior Project Planner Leah Kacanda told the Dover City Council Feb. 10.

“Additionally, as you likely know, Garrison Oak Technology Center is also fully leased. So that is another area where we do expect increasing freight traffic,” she added.

With the possible growth in business in the future, the Dover/Kent MPO and its partners stress that planning would help improve safety on the roads.

“One of the major issues we see both in Dover and across the state is freight parked on streets, parked on ramps – that is not legal, nor safe,” Kacanda said.

Dover/Kent MPO Executive Director Marilyn Smith later told the Delaware Business Times that the Dover Freight plan includes land use recommendations to ensure freight-intensive development along Dover’s designated truck routes continues to be prioritized. Improved communication and coordination between the government and the private sector can help maximize the land use for business development.

“Freight-generating land uses support regional employment, generate revenue through local and state taxes, and allow for the availability of local goods needed by growing populations and businesses,” she told DBT in an email. “Poor coordination between freight and land use planning can create challenges, such as the routing of large vehicles through residential areas, especially if not addressed proactively.”

As freight volumes and associated land impacts are expected to continuously grow, revisiting the Dover Air Cargo Freight Access Study will be important, Smtih added. That will help to determine if any adjustments are necessary relating to the newer manufacturing and freight activity in Dover and Kent County.

Actions made relating to the recommendations must be made by the Dover City Council.

“For example, the recommendations around development regulations and review could ease the issue of truck parking as well as more adequately accommodate the freight movement needs of businesses in the city. The recommendations around land use planning could create opportunities for focused business growth and development along Dover’s designated truck routes,” Smith told DBT.

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While the final draft has been presented, it still needs to be approved by all of the groups involved, including DelDOT which will review the plan for their own compliance procedures.

Smith emphasized to DBT that the plan is merely a recommendation for local and state leaders based on input and studies received, but the hope is to use it as a guide when moving forward with future plans.