Secretary of Transportation Shanté Hastings toured recent pedestrian improvements on Kenton Road in Dover to highlight National Pedestrian Safety Month and the ongoing work to make our roads safer for pedestrians across the state.

Including the 20 pedestrian fatalities that have occurred to date this year, there have been more than 300 pedestrian fatalities in our state over the past 10 years. During the same time, Delaware has averaged 355 crashes per year involving at least one pedestrian, nearly one per day.

Pedestrian safety continues to be a national issue with pedestrian deaths rising 80% between 2009 and 2023, while all other traffic fatalities increased 13%.

“From improved lighting to more crosswalks and sidewalks, we are working hard to make our infrastructure safer for pedestrians and addressing areas where we’ve seen high rates of pedestrian involved crashes,” said Secretary Hastings. “Every one of us is a pedestrian at some point – whether walking to school or work, commuting, or simply crossing the street, and we need to continue to emphasize the importance of pedestrian safety.”

Governor Matt Meyer has issued a proclamation recognizing October as Pedestrian Safety Awareness Month encouraging all Delawareans to take an active role in improving pedestrian safety across the state.

The Kenton Road Improvements project is currently in phase 3 with work currently taking place to construct drainage, widen the roadway, and add new pedestrian facilities on the north side of Kenton Road between Route 8 and College Road and will continue until spring 2026.

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