Transportation news and events from the
Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) 

July 2026

WILMAPCO Meetings and Events


All WILMAPCO meetings are being held virtually and in person.

For meeting attendance information, please email espinal@wilmapco.org.  



WILMAPCO Offices will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2026

in observance of Independence Day.


WILMAPCO News

Transit officials again consider a commuter rail station in Newport  

As reported by Spotlight Delaware, "A yearslong effort to bring passenger rail service back to Newport is once again under consideration with Delaware officials seeking public input about a proposed station that planners say could ease traffic in the state."

Local News

Amtrak maintenance facility will bring 100 jobs to Newark

As reported by the Newark Post, "A new maintenance facility for Amtrak trains will bring 100 jobs to the Newark area, officials announced. The $55 million facility will be run by Alstom, a French rail manufacturing company. The company has a contract to maintain and service the next generation of Amtrak’s high-speed Acela trains."

Why does Maryland's gas tax change every year?

As reported by Maryland Association of Counties, "Unlike the federal gas tax, which Congress has held at 18.4 cents per gallon since 1993, Maryland automatically adjusts its motor fuel tax each year under a formula established by the General Assembly in 2013.

No groundbreaking set for Port of Wilmington expansion, source of state funds still unanswered

As reported by Delaware Public Media, "Officials in charge of planning the build out of the Port of Wilmington expansion at Edgemoor say “minor” activity is underway and construction for the project is nearing. Minor activity at the site includes removing and recovering what can be used of railway that existed previously there, according to Diamond State Port Corporation Interim Executive Director Brian Devine."

National News

Autonomous vehicles were supposed to cut traffic—what if they don’t?

As reported by ARS Technica, "Autonomous vehicles are said to cut traffic. But data from Waymo’s reports to the California Public Utilities Commission shows that, at least in that regard, robotaxis are no better than ride-hailing services like Lyft and Uber."

Who owns US railroad tracks?

As reported by Planetizen, "Nearly three-quarters of Amtrak's trains operate on tracks owned by private companies. What does this mean for U.S. passenger rail?"

Where do states rank on access to public transit?

As reported by Governing, "A new analysis from the Urban Institute finds only 10 percent of American homes are located within half a mile of frequent public transit service, with significant variation from place to place."

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.
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You 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​ dstant@wilmapco.org.