By Robert Kalesse
Special to Delaware Business Times
Attending an event on the Wilmington Riverfront – be it at the Chase Center, Frawley Stadium, or the Westin – can present traffic problems getting in and out. With Justison Street serving as the main artery, exiting a Blue Rocks game or any other event can take an upwards of 30 minutes.
Venu Gadamaddi, owner of Veritas Wine & Spirits at 301 Justison St., has seen the resulting traffic and aggressive driving firsthand. He feels that, as the Wilmington Riverfront continues to grow, the streets and traffic patterns need to grow with it.
“I’m all for expansion here on the riverfront, but something needs to be done about the intersections and traffic light patterns,” said Gadamaddi. “At West Justison and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, sometimes the light only stays green for three cars. It backs things up and it’s impossible to get out.”
Gadamaddi said he has mentioned the issue casually to his 4th District City Council representative, Dr. Hanifa Shabazz, and other local business owners are concerned about the safety issues as well.
“Because you can see the lights from blocks away and you can see them change so quickly, people are gunning it to 50 or 60 miles an hour to make the green,” said Gadamaddi. “That happens during regular times, and then during games or events at the Chase Center, it’s a parking lot up and down the street.”
Gadamaddi has a tentative meeting scheduled with Wilmington police and local business owners in order to discuss possible solutions in the short- and long-term. “We already have a parking issue, but this is a preventable traffic issue. The city needs to find a way to help their patrons enjoy a convenient entry and exit.”
