Lewes Residents Oppose Concrete Crusher

Sussex County, Delaware. Ritter Incorporated filed application C/U 2281 seeking conditional use exception for the hazardous use of operating a concrete crushing operation along with the expansion of a non-conforming use as a borrow pit to include the commercial transport of concrete aggregate, mulch, and soil.

Lewes residents are gravely concerned about the impact of the high volume of concrete trucks and commercial heavy transport trucks at Malfunction Junction – the intersection at Plantation Road, Beaver Dam Road and Route 9.

From 2014 to 2016, thirty-six (36) crashes were reported at Malfunction Junction. According to data by DelDOT, the average daily traffic count on Plantation Road is 11,000 vehicles with a 25 percent increase during summer months. DelDOT officials say projections show traffic will increase 40 percent by 2040.

Approval of C/U 2281 will cause more traffic congestion and frustrate motorists further at Malfunction Junction.

Concrete crushing operations are known to produce high levels of dust containing known hazardous particulates including crystalline silica, a known human carcinogen that causes a lung condition known as Silicosis. Such an operation would have a significant detrimental impact on the health of our residents most of whom actively enjoy our expansive walking and biking trails

A concrete crushing operation will devastate our property values. Our community is currently experiencing a historically high level of expansion. It is unacceptable to have dust particles from a concrete crushing process settling on the exterior and interior of our homes and yards.

This is NOT a great selling point for our community nor a safe, healthy and tranquil environment for our residents.