September 18, 10 a.m.

 

   

WILMAPCO News 

Member Agency News 

Local News 

   

Transportation Funding Shortfalls Featured during "Our Town" Community Forum

We do not have enough funding to construct needed transportation infrastructure. Will our infrastructure deteriorate and fail, or will we find alternative funding solutions? Participate in an event with national and local leaders to explore this issue.  

 

"Our Town," a community forum sponsored by WILMAPCO, will be held on Wednesday, September 3 from 4 to 7 p.m.  This year's theme, "Financing our Transportation System: Now and in the Future," could not be more timely.  

 

The keynote speaker is Beth Osborne, Vice President of Transportation for America. Ms. Osborne leads the Center for Innovative Funding and Finance at Transportation for America, a resource on creative funding sources and financing for infrastructure that serves economic development and neighborhood revitalization.

 

The keynote will be followed panel presentations and a question and answer session. The panel will feature Colin Peppard, who handles transportation policy and other issues for U.S. Senator Tom Carper; Shailen Bhatt, Delaware Secretary of Transportation; Mike Nixon, Manager Regional Planning, MDOT; Ted Williams, Chair Transportation Trust Fund Task Force; and Mark Kleinschmidt, President, New Castle County Chamber of Commerce.   

 

The event will also highlight the Update to the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The RTP sets the transportation goals and priorities for the region. The TIP is a $1.7 billion, four-year listing of priority projects for the region. Both will be available for review and comment. 

"Our Town" will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel located at 654 South College Avenue in Newark (across from the Bob Carpenter Center).  Admission is free and hors d'oevres will be provided, but registration is required. To register for "Our Town," please visit www.wilmapco.org/ourtown or call WILMAPCO at 302-737-6205. 

Report Released that Identifies Public Transportation Improvements for Wilmington

WILMAPCO has released the Wilmington Transit Moving Forward Report for public review. The Wilmington Transit Moving Forward project is taking a fresh look at the transit operations in and around Downtown Wilmington. The report identifies a vision and priorities for implementation of recommendations for DART public transportation in Downtown Wilmington.

In order to provide the public with an opportunity to review the report and give feedback, an Open House Public Meeting is being held on Tuesday, September 23 at the Wilmington Library, across from Rodney Square, in Downtown Wilmington.  Attendees are welcome to stop by anytime between 4 and 7pm.

 

During the Public Meeting, DTC will present service change concepts for DART's January Service Change. Members of the public will have the opportunity to review and provide feedback on possible changes to individual bus routes, in advance of the service proposals being introduced at DART's Public Hearings in October. The DART Service Change Proposals will be linked to the Principles and Opportunities from the Wilmington Transit Moving Forward Report. To view the report, please visit www.wilmapco.org/wilmtransitmoveforward.

WILMAPCO Invites Public Comments on Proposed Cut to Transportation Project Funding

WILMAPCO has released proposed amendments to the region's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for public comment through September 10. This proposal would revise the currently approved TIP based on available Delaware funding from the FY 2015 Delaware Bond Bill. The TIP is a $1.7 billion, four-year listing of expected priority transportation projects. The proposal has a six percent decrease in funds compared to the previous TIP. Due to the decrease in funds, many projects will have all or most of their dollars removed. Some of these projects include:

• Wilmington Transit Hub: New facility to alleviate Rodney Square crowding, provide bus layover facilities, and facilitate passenger transfers
• New Christina River Bridge connecting Business US 13 to the Wilmington Riverfront
• SR 72 widening including bike lanes and sidewalks between McCoy Road and SR 71
• Train station improvements at Claymont and Newark SEPTA stations.

Information can be viewed and commented upon online at www.wilmapco.org/tip or at WILMAPCO offices, 850 Library Avenue, Newark, DE during business hours.  Comments also may be submitted in writing to Wilmington Area Planning Council, 850 Library Avenue, Suite 100, Newark, DE 19703, by fax to 302-737-9584, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Print versions of the documents are available at WILMAPCO's office or can be mailed upon request. For more information, please visit www.wilmapco.org/tip.

  

Middletown Walkable Community Workshop

WILMAPCO is holding a Walkable Community Workshop, sponsored by Middletown Main Street this fall. Making Middletown's Main Street more pedestrian friendly will be the focus of a half-day workshop scheduled for September 10, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Middletown Town Hall, 19 W. Green Street, Middletown, Delaware.       

The workshop is free and open to the public. A Walkable Community Workshop is an event for elected officials, local residents, and professionals in the fields of planning, engineering, law enforcement, public health, and education. It will provide participants with information on how to turn their community into a pedestrian-friendly place. The workshop will consist of a presentation on ways to improve walkability in a community, a walkability audit, and a follow-up session for brainstorming possible options for improvements.

 

The workshop is free and open to anyone. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Tracy Skrobot, Middletown Main Street at (302) 378-2977, or email [email protected].  

 

State Approves Recreation Enhancements at Parks throughout Maryland
According to Maryland Department of Natural Resources news, "Maryland families will continue to benefit from the State's Open Space Program with the Board of Public Works' approval of funding for recreational upgrades. In Cecil County, Perryville will receive $125,000 for new Lower Ferry Park upgrades that include walking paths, educational stormwater facilities, landscaping, benches, and a tot lot playground."  For more information, please visit http://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2014/07/23/state-approves-recreation-enhancements-at-parks-throughout-maryland/?utm_source=News+Briefs+7-23-14&utm_campaign=DNR+NEWS+07-23-14&utm_medium=email.

Centreville Traffic Safety Study Public Workshop
According to DelDOT's website, "DelDOT would like to invite the residents of Centreville and all other interested parties to a Public Workshop to discuss the recommendations from the Centreville Traffic Safety Study. The purpose of the workshop is to present the details of the study and to solicit input from the public regarding the recommendations. The recommendations include a traffic signal at the DE Route 52/Twaddell Mill Road/Owls Nest Road intersection and additional crosswalks within the study limits. The workshop will be open to the public from 4 to 7 p.m., September 22 at the Centreville School, 6201 Kennett Pike, Centreville, DE 19807."  For more information, please visit www.deldot.gov/public.ejs?command=PublicNotice&id=5365&month=9&year=2014. 

 

Local News 

Better Block Project in Wilmington

According to the West Side Grows Together newsletter, "West Side Grows Together partnered with the University of Delaware to transform N. Union St. for one week. We added landscape features, outdoor seating, public art, outdoor games, and entertainment. The Better Block Project is a nationally-recognized demonstration tool that temporarily redesigns an area with community input and a minimal budget to show the potential for revitalized economic activity. The project, the first of its kind in Delaware, temporarily brings to life the vision produced by the West Side Grows Together Revitalization Plan and the WILMAPCO Walkable Community Workshop. With the success of the project, we hope to make it an annual event until funding is secured to make the changes permanent."  To view a video of the event, please visit www.delawareonline.com/videos/news/local/2014/08/11/13918069/.

Mayor Williams Appointed as Vice Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Transportation and Communications Committee

According to a City of Wilmington news release, Mayor Dennis P. Williams is one of eight Mayors appointed by the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The Transportation and Communications Committee is responsible for developing and implementing sustainable transportation and broadband policies for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations greater than 30,000." 

 

Maryland Natural Gas Refilling Station Grant Program

According to a Maryland Clean Cities email, "The Maryland Clean Cities Coalition in partnership with the Maryland Energy Administration, Maryland Department of Environment,and Gladstein Neandross & Associates invite you to apply to the Maryland Natural Gas Refiling Station Grant Program. The program will provide financial assistance for installation of privately run, and publicly accessible natural gas refilling stations that utilize fast fill dispensers. The program is accepting applications from through January 12, 2015." For more information, please visit http://energy.maryland.gov/Transportation/natgasgrant.html . 

 

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