Transportation
News from the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO)
April 2015
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WILMAPCO Meetings
All meetings are open to the public. Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held in the WILMAPCO Conference Room.
In case of inclement weather, please call (302) 737-6205, or toll free from Cecil County at (888) 808-7088 for cancellations or postponements.
Nonmotorized Transportation Working Group
April 7, 3 p.m.
Air Quality Subcommittee
April 9, 10 a.m.
Congestion Management Subcommittee
April 9, 1 p.m.
Data and Demographics Subcommittee
April 13, 10 a.m.
Public Advisory Committee
April 13, 7 p.m.
April 16, 10 a.m.
WILMAPCO will be closed on April 3.
For updates or more information on upcoming WILMAPCO meetings, please visit www.wilmapco.org.
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| In this issue... |
WILMAPCO News
Member Agency News
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WILMAPCO News
 SR 9 Walkable Community Workshop
WILMAPCO and New Castle County Community Services invite you to an important event to help make the Route 9 corridor a safer, more attractive and pedestrian friendly place. The SR 9 Walkable Community Workshop (WCW) is being held on May 5 from 4 to 7 p.m., at the Rose Hill Community Center in New Castle. A Walkable Community Workshop is an interactive community event designed to bring together key stakeholders to focus on issues related to walkability. To learn more about this workshop or to register, please
Share Your Vision for the Scenic Red Clay Valley
WILMAPCO is partnering with the New Castle County Department of Land Use, DelDOT and the Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway Alliance to develop corridor overlay standards for the Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway. To view the kick-off workshop presentation or share your comments online, please visit www.wilmapco.org/redclay. A second public workshop will be held in May.
Glasgow Avenue Main Street Study
WILMAPCO, DelDOT, and New Castle County are kicking off a year-long transportation and land use study for Glasgow Avenue, between US 40 and SR 896/Porter Road (about 1.3 miles). The study is intended to create a "Main Street" vision plan to guide transportation improvements and land use along Glasgow Avenue. WILMAPCO invites you to help develop a plan that provides a safe and attractive transportation system, and encourages more non-motorized trips and better connectivity between land uses. To share your thoughts, review the March public workshop materials, or submit a comment, please visit www.wilmapco.org/glasgow.
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Member Agency News 
DNREC YouTube Channel Features new Delaware Climate Impact Video
According to a Department of Natural Resource and Environmental Control (DNREC) release, "Delaware confronts climate change and faces the challenge of preparing for it in a new video airing on the DNREC YouTube Channel.
As the new video details, climate change already is impacting Delaware, bringing higher temperatures, rising sea levels and increasing rainfall.
" To view the video, please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ywIgnQbj-U&feature=youtu.be.
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Local News
New Guide to Delaware Transportation Improvement Districts
Maryland Governor Seeks Changes in Gas Tax
According to an article in The Star, "Lawmakers in a General Assembly committee heard a bill on March 10, that seeks to repeal a provision of Maryland law that ties a tax on gasoline to the consumer price index. The bill comes from Gov. Larry Hogan, who has been vocal about his distaste over many of the tax increases during the administration of former Gov. Martin O'Malley." To view the source article, please visit
http://www.stardem.com/news/general_assembly/article_da5c3188-c0b2-547e-91f2-40070f744926.html.
Markell Unveils Plan to Combat Climate Change
According to the News Journal, "Gov. Jack Markell outlined a new plan to reduce by 30 percent Delaware's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and to better plan and prepare for the most likely impacts from climate change. The
plan will be posted on the DNREC website and public comments will be accepted through May 30." To view the plan, please visit
www.dnrec.delaware.gov/energy/Pages/Climate-Framework.aspx.
Why Smog Matters Event
According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) website, "Smog, otherwise known as ground-level ozone, can be a summertime air pollution problem in the region, and weather plays a key role in the levels of ozone that we experience. Meteorologists and other weather professionals and enthusiasts can help educate the public about smog's health effects, and provide tips on minimizing exposure to ozone and simple actions to take that reduce ozone formation. You are invited to Join NJDEP on April 6 from 2 to 3:15 p.m., at the Environmental and Occupational Health Science Institute, Rutgers' Busch Campus, 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Room C, Piscataway, NJ or via webinar - as New Jersey's experts provide you with tools to educate the public about this weather-dependent pollutant." For more information, please visit www.nj.gov/dep/cleanairnj/register/index.html.
Distracted Driving Event Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children is holding a Distracted Driving Event on Wednesday, April 1 from 11 to 1 p.m., outside the Nemours Safety Store in the Anthony N. Fusco, Sr. Atrium. Experience the distracted driving
simulator and sign the pledge not to be a distracted driver. The first 50 people to sign the pledge receive a free t-shirt.
This event is hosted by the Trauma Program at duPont Hospital for Children and was made possible by generous donations from the Delaware Office of Highway Safety and ASPNA. 2015 TransAction Conference
There is only 6 weeks left until one of the biggest transportation conference's on the East Coast takes place. All the information and application forms can be found on the NJ TransAction web site at www.njtransaction.com.
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National News
National Walking Day
According to an American Heart Association release, "These days, we're spending more time at work and sitting in front of a screen than ever before. We're becoming less active, which can increase our risk of heart disease, stroke and other diseases. Take the first step to a healthier life by taking part in the American Heart Association's National Walking Day on the first Wednesday in April. On this day, Americans are encouraged to lace up their sneakers and take 30 minutes out of their day to get up and walk." For more information, please visit www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/Walking/National-Walking-Day_UCM_448665_Article.jsp.
John Oliver Recruits All-Star Cast to Make Infrastructure Sexy
According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, "John Oliver never shies away from difficult or tangled subjects on 'Last Week Tonight' but on Sunday he faced perhaps his greatest challenge -- explaining the particulars of why the nation's rapidly aging and deteriorating infrastructure is such an important topic and one that requires government oversight and engagement immediately.
Taking his cue from the countless Hollywood blockbusters that feature the nation's infrastructure getting blown up, crumbled, vaporized and flooded, he and his writers came up with their own blockbuster -- complete with an all-star cast of performers.
In 'Infrastructure,' the nation's backbone is steadily and efficiently maintained with a minimum of fuss. And it's all thanks to the conscientious efforts of public servants played by Ed Norton, Campbell Scott, Hope Davis, Dan Hedaya, Vincent D'Onofrio and others." To view the source article, please visit http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-john-oliver-movie-stars-infrastructure-20150302-story.html.
Plan to Reduce Roadway Fatalities Unveiled
According to an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) release, "AASHTO joined the National Strategy on Highway Safety Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) effort, a vision of eliminating fatalities on our nation's roadways. The Toward Zero Deaths effort was created by a steering committee cooperative that includes numerous organizations committed to reducing annual US traffic fatalities from more than 33,000 to zero. The TZD Plan provides organizations in the fields of engineering, law enforcement, education and emergency medical services (EMS) with initiatives and safety countermeasures designed to save lives." For more information about the Toward Zero Deaths National Strategy on Highway Safety, visit TowardZeroDeaths.org.
Congressmen Blumenauer and Buchana Introduce Vision Zero Act
According to Centerlines e-newsletter, "U.S. House Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL) have introduced the Vision Zero Act of 2015. The bill would set aside grants worth $30 million for cities to plan and implement road safety projects. The Vision Zero Act creates two new US Department of Transportation grant programs. One sets aside $5 million a year for communities to develop Vision Zero plans. The other grant will award five communities a share of $25 million to implement their plans."
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About Us
The Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) is the regional transportation planning agency for New Castle County, Delaware and Cecil County, Maryland. As the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), WILMAPCO is charged with planning and coordinating transportation investments for the region based on federal policy, local input, technical analysis, and best practices. For more information, please visit our website at www.wilmapco.org.
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