Transportation
News from the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO)
May 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.
May 11, 10 a.m.
WILMAPCO will be closed on May 25 for Memorial Day
For updates or more information on upcoming WILMAPCO meetings, please visit www.wilmapco.org.
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WILMAPCO News
 SR 9 Walkable Community Workshop
WILMAPCO is holding a Walkable Community Workshop, sponsored by New Castle County Community Services. Making the Route 9 corridor (South of Wilmington) more pedestrian friendly, is the focus of a three-hour workshop scheduled for Tuesday, May 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Rose Hill Community Center, 19 Lambson Lane, New Castle.
A Walkable Community Workshop concentrates on identifying real-world problems and hands-on solutions for pedestrians and bicyclists. The workshop is free and open to anyone. For more information or to RSVP, please visit
www.wilmapco.org/walkable or contact Jane Rattenni at 302-395-5612 or by email at
[email protected].
WILMAPCO Public Workshop - Locust Lane Sidewalk Feasibility Study
The purpose of the Locust Lane Sidewalk Feasibility Study is to develop sidewalk alternatives that will achieve the project goals of improved pedestrian safety and accessibility in the town.
Locust Lane is located near the intersection of Main Street and Delaware Avenue, an eastern gateway into Elkton.
Following public input, a final report will be presented to the Town. The report will document existing conditions, and recommended improvements. An open house public workshop will be held on Wednesday, May 6. Attendees are welcome anytime between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., at the Elkton Town Hall. For more information, please visit
www.wilmapco.org/locustlane.
Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway Workshop on May 18
The community is invited to help develop strategies to protect and enhance the scenic character of the Red Clay Valley at a Public Workshop on May 18 at the
Ashland Nature Center with displays beginning at 6:30 p.m. and a presentation and roundtable discussion from 7 - 9 p.m. Using feedback from the February 12 Public Workshop and an extensive review of best practices from around the county, the planning team has identified potential strategies for the area that will be shaped by the outcomes of the Public Workshop.
Participants will brainstorm how strategies can be applied to a hypothetical location and review "what if" images of how development might occur under existing zoning and potential new tools for protecting the byway. The Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway Overlay Design Standards project is a partnership of WILMAPCO, New Castle County, DelDOT, Delaware Nature Society and the Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway Alliance. To learn more, please visit www.wilmapco.org/redclay.
Delmarva Freight Summit
Save the date for the next Delmarva Freight Summit. This year's summit will be held on Wednesday, June 24 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino in Dover. Lunch will be provided after the event. Speakers from UPS and IHS Global will discuss Delmarva's agricultural supply chain in addition to other freight and logistics experts. To register, please visit www.wilmapco.org/delmarva.
Transportation Alternatives Program Call for Submissions
In partnership with MDOT and DelDOT, WILMAPCO is seeking FY 2016 project submissions for the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) by May 15 in Cecil County, and May 26 in New Castle County. TAP is funded through the federal surface transportation legislation, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). It provides funding for programs and projects defined as transportation alternatives, including on and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities and environmental mitigation; recreational trail program projects; safe routes to school projects; and projects for the planning, design or construction of boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former Interstate System routes or other divided highways.
Eligible sponsors include county and local governments, transit agencies, natural resource or public land agencies, school districts, education agencies and schools. Nonprofits are not eligible as direct recipients of the funds, but may partner with an eligible entity. Sponsors must be able to provide a minimum of 20 percent funding match. TAP project request forms can be downloaded at www.wilmapco.org/tap.
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Member Agency News 
DART Bus Service Changes Approved for May Implementation
According to a DART First State press release, "John Sisson, Chief Executive Officer of Delaware Transit Corporation, announced that the proposed changes to DART Statewide Fixed Route Bus Service, including implementation of the seasonal Resort Transit, have been approved to become effective the week of Sunday, May 17, 2015." Changes in New Castle County include:
- Route 8 - will extend route into Southbridge along Heald and A Streets
- Route 39 - will no longer serve Christiana Mall, staying on I-95 for more direct service between Newark and Wilmington
- Route 62 Churchmans Shuttle - adjustments to the route path will be made to increase efficiency serving Christiana Mall, 2nd & Charles, DelTech, Morgan Christiana Center, and making connections to the trains at Fairplay Station
- Service along Old Churchmans Road and within Center Pointe Plaza will be discontinued
- Route 63 Churchmans Shuttle - will be eliminated due to low ridership
For more information, please call 1-800-652-DART or visit www.DartFirstState.com.
Delaware Selected for its 2015 State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Excellence Award According to a Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) email, "The Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals (SORP) and the National Park Service (NPS) have selected Delaware for the 2015 State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) Excellence Award. Each year the SORP Board of Directors and NPS presents this prestigious award to a state or territory whose SCORP clearly embraces the spirit of outdoor recreation planning - specifically the requirements of the Land & Water Conservation Fund Act." For more information, please visit http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/parks/Information/Pages/2013Scorp.aspx. |
Local News
May is National Bike Month Communities and organizations around the region are celebrating the joys of bicycling with events for families, beginning riders, commuters and recreational cyclists. Join WILMAPCO at the following events:
- May 15 - Bike to Work Day in Newark: Join other commuters and show your support for bicycling in Newark, from 7:30-9 a.m., at Mentors' Circle, University of Delaware. For information visitwilmapco.org/bikenewark
- May 16 - Bike to Work Day in Wilmington: Bicycle commuter morning reception at H.B. DuPont Plaza from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Evening reception at Wilmington Grand Prix Time Trails at Brandywine Park from 5 to 7 p.m. For information visit www.bikewilmington.org
- May 15 -17 - Wilmington Grand Prix: Features competitive pro cyclist races, a bicycle parade, and a ride escorted by Governor Markell, for information visit www.wilmgrandprix.com
- May 16 - Mayor's Fun Ride, Newark, DE: Free event for all ages features a family-friendly 5-mile ride and bicycle safety checkup hosted by Newark Mayor Polly Seier, visit www.cityofnewarkde.us/play or www.wilmapco.org/bikenewark
- May 20 - National Ride of Silence: Visit www.rideofsilence.org to learn about the event which honors those who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. In Wilmington, the ride will depart from Porky Oliver's Golf Club. More details are available at www.whiteclaybicycleclub.org
- May 27 - Cycling Class for Beginning Riders - White Clay Bicycle Club will offer free training at WILMAPCO. For more information, visit www.wilmapco.org/nbc/wcbcflyer.pdf.
For additional events and local resources, please visit www.wilmapco.org/bikemonth. Library Avenue Public Meeting A public meeting will be held on Monday, May 11 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at WILMAPCO (850 Library Avenue, Newark) to provide an opportunity for residents to learn about changes to traffic patterns on Library Avenue between the intersections of Main Street and Cleveland Avenue. DelDOT representatives will be available to present changes and answer questions.
Urban Bike Project Volunteers Needed
Urban Bike Project of Wilmington promotes bicycling as a practical, healthy, and economically sustainable means of transportation. According to an Urban Bike Project (UBP) email, "Urban Bike Project is getting busier, and we anticipate a big season this year. We are in need of volunteers to work in our open shop, and help with Spring clean up projects. If you are interested, email us at [email protected]. We also can use some volunteer help at the Wilmington Grand Prix on May 15th through 17th. Cheer for the UBP entrants on Friday the 15th at the time trials and bring the family to Market Street on 16th to enjoy six blocks of free games, rides and attractions." For more information, please visit http://www.urbanbikeproject.com.
Spring 2015 Research Showcase
You are invited to attend the 2015 Transportation Research Showcase. View poster displays and talk to Principal Investigators from the University of Delaware and Project Managers from DelDOT. Showcase projects include many areas, e.g., Environmental, Bridge Engineering & Management, Traffic, Planning, Policy, Pavement & Materials and Construction, among others. The Showcase will be held on Tuesday, May 5, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Paradee Center, 69 Transportation Drive, Dover, DE. For more information please contact Ellen Pletz at 302-831-1446 or Sandi Wolfe at 302-831-4094 or visit www.ce.udel.edu/dct.
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National News
Transportation is One of the Largest Contributors to Greenhouse Gases
According to the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions 1990-2012, "The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The national inventory that the U.S. prepares annually under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), transportation represented 28% of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2012. Cars, trucks, commercial aircraft, and railroads, among other sources, all contribute to transportation end-use sector emissions." For more information, please visit
http://epa.gov/otaq/climate/documents/420f15002.pdf.
New Data Show January Driving Topped 237 Billion Miles
According to a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) release, "Americans drove 4.9 percent more in January 2015 than in the same month in 2014, the highest single-month increase for any January since 2000. It is the nation's 11th consecutive month of increased growth, as measured by vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT). These estimates are based on data collected from approximately 4,000 continuous traffic counting locations nationwide that evaluate the percent change in traffic for the current month compared with the same month in the previous year."
To review the VMT data in FHWA's "
Traffic Volume Trends" reports, visit
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/tvtw/tvtpage.htm.
Secretary Foxx's draft report "Beyond Traffic" can be viewed at http://www.dot.gov/BeyondTraffic and the public is invited to share ideas at http://www.dot.gov/BeyondTraffic/ShareYourIdeas.
Congress Proposed Direct Local Access to Federal Funds
According to Transportation for America, "A bipartisan coalition of 10 lawmakers is supporting the Innovation in Surface Transportation Act, which would help cities, counties, and other local governments directly access federal funding for transportation projects. The proposal, first floated last year, would let local governments compete for at least $5 billion of the $50 billion or so in federal transportation funds allocated to states each year. Under the bill, local agencies in each state would apply for grants, with a statewide committee selecting winners. The committees could include, for example, local chambers of commerce, active transportation advocates, transit agencies, air quality boards, ports, and others." To view the source article, please visit http://usa.streetsblog.org/2015/03/23/movement-in-congress-to-let-cities-and-towns-access-federal-transpo-funds/#more-161205.
TRB Research Report: Pedestrians 2014
According to the Transportation Research Board (TRB) "Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2464 consists of 18 papers that address a wide range of pedestrian issues: safety performance study of shared pedestrian and vehicle space; impacts of alternative yield sign placement on pedestrian safety; mitigation of pedestrian-vehicle conflicts at stop-controlled t-intersections; development of a low-cost methodology for evaluating pedestrian safety in support of complete streets policy implementation." To view the source article, please visit http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/172275.aspx.
New Ride-sharing Apps will Soon be Available
According to a Grist article, "A number of companies are working on apps that create shared rides. Soon you might be able to use one app to carpool to and from work, another to find a ride out to a bar along a route with no bus service, and yet another to share a taxi home.
" To view the source article, please visit http://grist.org/business-technology/these-new-ride-sharing-apps-actually-involve-sharing-rides/?utm_campaign=horizon_daily_feed&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter.
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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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