WILMAPCO/DelDOT Public Workshop - Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
WILMAPCO has released its Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which includes more than $1.6 billion of anticipated transportation projects, for public review and comment.

To solicit public feedback on proposed projects

WILMAPCO and DelDOT will host a public workshop on Monday, February 23 at the Newark Free Library, 750 Library Ave, Newark, anytime between 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.During the workshop, WILMAPCO and DelDOT representatives will be available to answer questions. Information about the draft Delmarva Freight Plan will also be displayed.

 

The draft FY 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for New Castle County, Delaware and Cecil County, Maryland is a four-year listing of federally-funded transportation projects including road, transit, rail, bicycle, and pedestrian improvements. This proposal includes a seven percent decrease in funds. Due to the decrease in funds, many projects will have all or most of their funding removed.  

 

You can viewed and comment on the TIP online at www.wilmapco.org/tip or at WILMAPCO's office, 850 Library Avenue, Newark, DE during business hours. Comments may also be submitted in writing to Wilmington Area Planning Council, 850 Library Avenue, Suite 100, Newark, DE 19711, faxed to 302-737-9584, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Comments will be accepted through March 3, 2015.

 

Public Workshop for Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway Design Standards Overlay Project

WILMAPCO, New Castle County, DelDOT, Delaware Nature Society (DNS), and the Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway Alliance have announced the kickoff of the Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway Design Standards Overlay project.

 

A public kickoff meeting will be held on February 12 at Ashland Nature Center from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.  There will be a presentation at 7 p.m., followed by discussion and informational displays.

 

The Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway is comprised of a network of 28 roads within the Red Clay Creek watershed, located in New Castle County. The byway includes scenic, natural, and historic resources. The new design standards will improve protection for the byway including the possibility of incorporating the standards into the County's Unified Development Code (UDC).

 

During the kickoff meeting, project partners will discuss the history of the byway, including where it is today; how the standards could be incorporated into the UDC; and best practices from around the country. Community participation will help the planning team learn about area interests, ideas, and recommendations.

 

The meeting will include an opportunity for question and answer and a discussion of next steps. If you live, work, or play in the Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway, the project team wants to hear from you! To learn more, please visit www.wilmapco.org/redclay.

Glasgow Avenue Planning Study

WILMAPCO, New Castle County, and DelDOT have begun the Glasgow Avenue Planning Study. Glasgow Avenue is a 1.3 mile, two-lane, road between US 40 and SR 896. The bulk of vehicle trips are generated by a large regional shopping center, medical offices, age restricted and single family residential units, and a high school.

 

With additional development planned for the area, this roadway will continue to face mobility and safety challenges. The goal of the study it to create a safe and attractive street that supports more non-motorized trips, slows existing traffic, and creates safer connections between land uses. The study will also set design standards to create a vibrant mix of local uses and attractive public spaces, while enhancing economic activity.

 

Consensus building and the establishment of a broad stakeholder group is a key element in this

process, which began in late January, with a series of stakeholder meetings. Meetings included residents, commercial property owners, state and local elected officials, New Castle County Staff, community agencies, and institutions. For more information, please visit www.wilmapco.org/glasgow.

Local News 

U.S. DOT Developing 30-Year Transportation Plan  

According to a U.S. Department of Transportation briefing, "One of the fundamental jobs this Department has is helping decision-makers understand the magnitude of the choices they make. So beginning last year, I put my team to work. I asked them to join with me in crafting a framework for how we can ask and begin to answer the most important questions about transportation that we'll need to answer over the next 30 years." For more information, please visit www.dot.gov/fastlane/coming-soon-beyond-traffic-30-year-transportation-framework.

MPOs and Transportation Planning for Megaregions 

According to the abstract of the Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Transportation Planning For Megaregions report, "Planning transportation across jurisdictions is a challenge faced in geographic areas throughout the U.S. This report explores innovative ways that metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are working with partners to begin to conduct planning to address the transportation issues of megaregions." To view the report, please visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/megaregions/reports/mpo_and_transportation_planning/index.cfm.  

 

Road Deaths Decrease Slightly

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration December 19 release, "New data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows a decrease of 3.1 percent in the number of road deaths compared to the previous year. Since 2004, the total number of road deaths has dropped nearly 25 percent. At 1.10 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, 2013 (the most recent data available) had the lowest number of road deaths ever in the U.S." To read the full report, please visit http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812101.pdf.  

 

Texting Pedestrians at Greater Risk of Injury, Study Finds 

According to an Occupational, Health, and Safety article, "A study published in the December 2014 issue of the Journal of Applied Biomechanics evaluated how texting as they walked affected the gait of 30 young adults who reported they texted on a regular basis. Comparing the subjects' normal gait with their walking performance while texting on cell phones, the authors found texting caused them to slow down, and their step width and double stance time increased, while toe clearance, step length, and cadence decreased. The combination of the slower gait velocity and decrease in attention to the surrounding environment suggests that an individual who is texting while walking could be at a greater risk of injury." To view the source article, please visit http://ohsonline.com/articles/2015/01/16/texting-pedestrians-at-greater-risk-of-injury.aspx.   

 

BTS Releases Pocket Guide to Transportation 2015

According to a US DOT release, "The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has published the Pocket Guide to Transportation 2015 - a quick reference guide to significant transportation statistics. The 18th annual Pocket Guide covers data on moving people and goods, system use and performance, the economy, safety, infrastructure, and the environment."  For more information, please visit http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOT/bulletins/e9e7ea.