Transportation news and events from the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO). 
August 2020
WILMAPCO Meetings and Events

All WILMAPCO meetings are currently being held virtually.
For meeting login information, please email dvoss@wilmapco.org .  

August 4, 3 p.m
 
August 6, 10 a.m.
 
August 17, 6 p.m.

August 26, 6-7:30 p.m.
WILMAPCO News
WILMAPCO seeks feedback on its draft Public Participation Plan
WILMAPCO's Draft 2020 Public Participation Plan , which serves as a guide for residents to navigate the public process, is available for public review and comment through September 9. The Plan has been updated to include recommendations of the agency’s recently adopted 2019 Transportation Justice Report , which identified inequities in the region, including that neighborhoods with concentrations of Black residents were found to be chronically underfunded with transportation dollars and that low-income communities are much less likely to be aware of WILMAPCO, and thus participate in the planning process. To begin to correct these and other inequities uncovered, several outreach recommendations have been incorporated into the Draft Public Participation Plan.
Southern New Castle County Master Plan Transportation Element Virtual Workshop
WILMAPCO in partnership with the New Castle County Dept. of Land Use, and DelDOT will present a draft of the Southern New Castle County Master Pla n Transportation Element for your review and feedback during a Virtual Public Workshop that will be held on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 from 6 to 7:30pm p.m. During the workshop, you'll have the opportunity to review and provide feedback on the draft transportation recommendations of the plan. Registration is required for this event. To learn more, please visit www.wilmapco.org/snccmp .
Local News
New Castle County Comprehensive Plan
NCC@2050 is a community-driven Comprehensive Planning process that will allow County government to strategically steer growth in coming years. The County is looking to develop this Plan in conjunction with broad citizen input. The participation of leaders and everyday residents is key to creating a more vibrant and inclusive future that reflects community values.
DelDOT completes $100 million in infrastructure projects in first half of 2020
According to Delaware Public Media, "While Delaware was locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, DelDOT crews and contractors were hard at work. COVID-19 restrictions decreased traffic, allowing DelDOT to get a lot of work done, including the new Wilmington Transit Center, the Marl Pit Roundabout in Middletown, work on Main Street Newark, and the Paper Mill Road Bridge Rehabilitation, that replaced a failing bridge culvert in Newark. DelDOT expects to wrap up work on the Marsh Road/I-95 Interchange and the I-95/Route 141 Interchange during the second half of this year."
Make sure you're counted!
Why does the Census matter? Simply put, money and influence. Having an accurate count of Delawareans and Marylanders means more money for schools, hospitals, roads, and other vital programs. Businesses use census data to decide where to build factories, offices, and stores which creates jobs. This year’s Census will even inform the need for critical health care supplies such as vaccines. It’s vitally important that everyone is counted. Visit  My2020census.gov  and be counted today.
Trail Use Etiquette
According to the Delaware Greenways Summer Newsletter, "More people are getting outdoors, traveling trails throughout the country than any other time before. I t's important that all trail users continue to practice safe-distancing and wear masks as needed. Make sure you're aware of proper trail safety and etiquette, so that everyone has an enjoyable outing. View a helpful list and the #RecreateResponsibly guidelines below."
National News
House Passes $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Package
The bill includes a five-year, $494 billion highway re-authorization. The 233-188 vote was largely along party lines in the Democratic-controlled chamber.
How Race Shaped America's Roadways And Cities
As reported by NPR, "When the urban planner Robert Moses began building projects in New York during the 1920s, he bulldozed Black and Latino homes to make way for parks, and built highways through the middle of minority neighborhoods. But Moses was no outlier. The highways and public spaces that shape our cities were often intentionally built at the expense of Black, Latino and other minority Americans."
Wilmington Area Planning Council
(WILMAPCO)
The Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) is the regional transportation planning agency for New Castle County, Delaware and Cecil County, Maryland. As a 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.
Y ou are invited to participate in the transportation planning process, regardless of your race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), religion, creed, gender, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran’s status, or background. To request special accommodations, or if you need this information in another language, please contact WILMAPCO at (302) 737-6205 or​ dvoss@wilmapco.org .