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Transportation
News from the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO)
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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.
Data and Demographics
Subcommittee
November 11, 10
a.m.
Air Quality Subcommittee
November 14, 10 a.m.
Congestion Management
Subcommittee
November 14, 1 p.m.
WILMAPCO Council
November 14, 6:30 p.m.
Elkton Town Hall
100 Railroad Ave., Elkton
Technical Advisory
Committee
November 21, 10 a.m.
American Planning Association Webinar -
November 6, 4 -
5:30 p.m.
at WILMAPCO
WILMAPCO will be closed on November 28 and 29 for Thanksgiving.
For updates or
more information on upcoming WILMAPCO meetings, please visit www.wilmapco.org.
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 WILMAPCO
News
 WILMAPCO helps Coordinate
Walk to School Month Activities
During the month
of October, thousands of students, parents, and community members in
the WILMAPCO region celebrated International Walk to School Month. This
event is part of an international effort to encourage families to
safely walk and bicycle to school. At Claymont Elementary, students
participated in Walk to School Week (Oct. 21-25) where punch cards and
fun giveaway items were distributed. To kick the week off, students
received a visit from Buster the Bus, during a pedestrian safety
assembly, where they learned how to be safe while walking near large
vehicles and crossing the street. Maple Lane Elementary also
participated by holding a Walk to School day event on October 29,
during the school's pedestrian safety week. Fun prizes, including
reflectors and blinking lights were distributed. Both schools are
participating in the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program. SRTS
includes safety education and infrastructure improvements to make it
safer for more children to walk and bike to school. Claymont Elementary
is scheduled to see new sidewalks constructed and crosswalks painted
this fall, while Maple Lane is slated for next fall. For more
information about these Safe Routes to School programs, please visit www.wilmapco.org/school-children.
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Member Agency
News 
MDOT Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan
According to a
Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update Newsletter article,
"MDOT is leading an update of the existing Bicycle and Pedestrian
Master Plan, adopted in 2002. This Plan establishes a 20-year vision to
guide investments that support cycling and walking, both on-road and
off-road, as part of Maryland's multimodal transportation network. MDOT
is also updating the Maryland Transportation Plan (MTP), the State's
20-year vision for transportation, which identifies goals and
strategies to help guide statewide policy and investment decisions
across all modes of transportation." A Public Meeting to discuss
the Draft Plan will be held on November 13 from 6 PM to 8 PM at the
Talbot County Free Library, 100 W. Dover Street, Easton, MD.
You will also be
able to join the meeting online using WebEx web conferencing. The link
to join the meeting will be posted to www.mdot.maryland.gov/bikewalkplan the
day of the meeting. Advanced registration is not required. A phone
conference option will also be available for those who would like to
call in to listen to the presentation and participate in a discussion.
The conference number will be (866) 365-4406 Access Code: 9320229. For
more information on the Bike and Pedestrian Plan, please visit http://www.mdot.maryland.gov/bikewalkplan.
For more information on the Transportation Plan, please visit www.mdot.maryland.gov/MTP.
DART Public Hearing
Workshops Announced
According to a DART First State Public Hearing Notice, "Delaware
Transit Corporation will conduct Public Hearing Workshops to obtain
comments on DART's proposed Transit Redesign Plan, which will expand
and improve transportation services for all Delawareans. The proposed
Plan includes fixed route bus service expansion, paratransit service
model
changes, and a fare increase." The New Castle County
workshops will be held at the following times and locations:
Tuesday, October
29, 4 PM to 7 PM
Wilmington
DoubleTree Hotel
700 King Street,
Wilmington 19801
Wednesday,
November 6, 4 PM to 7 PM
Embassy Suites
Hotel
654 S. College
Avenue, Newark 19713
For more
information, please visit www.dartfirststate.com/information/getting_there/public_hearings/index.shtml.
Six New Roundabouts Proposed for
Cecil County
According the an
article in the Cecil Whig, "The State Highway Administration (SHA)
announced its intention to build six roundabouts in Cecil County in
2015 and 2016, mostly along Telegraph Road. Four new roundabouts are
planned on Route 273, and two of them will replace existing traffic
signals."
Newark
to Wilmington Pathway Feasibility Study
As part of the
Delaware Department of Transportation's First State Trail and Pathway
Initiative, the Newark to Wilmington Pathway Feasibility
Study will identify off-road bicycling and walking connection
between Newark and Wilmington.
According to the
project website, "the purpose of the Study is twofold:
- To
evaluate potential routes between the two cities that could
provide bicycle and pedestrian connections not only end-to-end,
but to destinations in between.
- To
identify sections of those routes that could be built in the
short-term, reflecting both public input and technical
feasibility. Potential routes shown on the maps were suggested
based on GIS analysis, extensive field review, and consultation
with a number of public agencies.
DelDOT is
currently seek public input on these potential routes. This study does
not intend to recommend one single continuous route between Newark and
Wilmington. Rather, the goal is to move forward with individual
segments that have local community benefits, eventually weaving a
fabric of active transportation choices in northern New Castle
County." For more information, please visit www.deldot.gov/information/projects/trails/Newark_to_Wilm_Pathway/index.shtml.
DART First State CEO
Accepts New Position
According to a
Getting There article, "DART First State CEO Lauren Skiver
accepted a new position at SunLine Transit Agency on the West Coast.
While Lauren led Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC), her top priorities
were improving operating efficiencies, performance management, and the
development of leadership for the corporation. As Lauren moves on to
new endeavors, Rich Paprcka, Chief Operating Officer will be DTC's
Acting Chief Executive Officer." For more information,
please visit www.DartFirstState.com.
Stuff the Bus
According to a
Getting There news article, "In November, DART First State will
sponsor the 16th annual 'Stuff the Bus' Thanksgiving Food Drive in
support of the Food Bank of Delaware.The Food Bank of
Delaware will distribute the donated food via its 440 hunger-relief
partners in Delaware. Last year DART collected 10.8 tons (21,595
pounds) of food for Delaware residents in need." Stuff the
bus will be held in Rodney Square in Wilmington on Thursday, November
14 and Friday, November 15. For more information, please visit www.DartFirstState.com.
DelDOT's Red Light Safety
Camera Program Explained in New Video
According to a DelDOT press release, "DelDOT has posted a link to
a new video on its web site (www.deldot.gov)
explaining how Delaware's red-light safety camera program works and why
it is effective in changing driver behavior and reducing crashes.
DelDOT has seen measurable safety improvements at the state's most
dangerous intersections since the Electronic Red Light Safety program
was implemented in 2004. Red-light running crashes are down 29 percent
and dangerous T-bone crashes have decreased by 47 percent since the
cameras became active. Red-light safety cameras are in use at 30
intersections in Delaware. When a driver enters the intersection after
the light turns red, the camera captures two still images and a
12-second video of the event." To view the video, please
visit www.deldot.gov/information/red_light.
Delaware Transit
Corporation to Conduct Rider Origin - Destination Survey
According to a DART First State news release,
"Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC) has announced a Rider Origin -
Destination Survey. The survey will request transit trip information
from DART First State customers riding routes in Northern New Castle
County. The information collected will assist in transit service
planning for the Wilmington region." For more information or
to complete the survey, please visit www.DartFirstState.com.
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 Local News
Complete Communities
Delaware Summit 2013
The Institute for
Public Administration (IPA) at the University of Delaware, in
partnership with DelDOT, the Office of State Planning Coordination
(OSPC), and National/Delaware Association of REALTORS®, is hosting its
second Delaware Complete Communities Summit. The event is slated for
Monday, November 4, from 8 AM to 3 PM, at the Dover Downs Hotel &
Casino, Dover, Delaware.
The main objective
of the summit is to convene community stakeholders and discuss Delaware
complete communities' issues. Featured keynote speakers are Jonathan
Levine, Ph.D, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at University of
Michigan, and Paul Bishop, Ph.D, Vice President of Research, National
Association of REALTORS®. For more information, please visit http://completecommunitiesde.org.
To register, please visit https://commerce.cashnet.com/cashnetc/selfserve/EditItem.aspx?PC=IPCC-DESUM&ItemCount=1.
Transportation
Infrastructure Forum
The fourth
Transportation Infrastructure Forum will take place on Wednesday,
November 13, in Clayton Hall on the University of Delaware
campus. The forum is estimated to attract approximately 400
participants from Federal, State, and Local governments, different
academic institutions, private companies and contractors, as well as
public officials and community leaders. Together this group will
attempt to identify the most important transportation issues facing the
State of Delaware, and the surrounding regions. For more information,
please visit www.ce.udel.edu/dct.
Delaware
Greenways See You Outside Harvest Party
According to a
Delaware Greenways e-news, "In its first year, See You Outside has
been an unqualified success. We have reached out to more than 100,000
people throughout the state, and thousands now routinely check www.syodelaware.org
for upcoming outdoor events throughout Delaware. To celebrate the end
of the 2013 Challenge, we will be gathering at the Delaware Museum of
Natural History on November 14, from 6 PM to 9 PM for the First Annual
See You Outside Harvest Party. In addition to the food, refreshments,
music, and door prizes, there will also be the Grand Prize drawing for
the $500 gift card to Trail Creek Outfitters. If you sign up, each
picture you send in counts as an entry." To sign up, please visit www.syodelaware.org/sign_up.htm.
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 National News
U.S.
Department of Transportation Seeks Comment on Transit Safety and Asset
Management
According to a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) press release,
"The U.S. Department of Transportation's FTA announced that the
agency is seeking public comment on the most significant regulatory
step taken under FTA's new transit safety authority. The Advanced Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on Safety and Transit Asset Management will
be published in the Federal Register next week. A safety and transit
asset management rulemaking is required by the Moving Ahead for
Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), and covers several topics
that signal FTA's commitment to ensuring that efforts to keep transit
systems in good working order goes hand-in-hand with efforts to keep
them safe.
Safety advocates,
industry leaders, and the general public are invited to comment on
several MAP-21 requirements that are part of FTA's new safety and
transit asset management authority, including:
- Developing
and implementing meaningful national, state-level, and transit
agency safety plans; and
- Implementing
a national transit asset management program to help transit
agencies establish a systematic means for managing their assets
and establishing performance measures for making improvements to
the condition of their facilities, equipment, rolling stock, and
infrastructure.
Comments must be
received within 90 days of the date the notice is published. To
view the source press release, please visit http://www.fta.dot.gov/newsroom/12286_15694.html.
FHWA
Announces Transportation and Health Tool Development
According to
September 24 FHWA web post, "Many state officials and metropolitan
planning organizations (MPOs) have begun including public health goals
and health criteria in transportation planning and policies as well as
within the transportation project selection process. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of
Transportation (USDOT) are partnering to develop a simple-to-use
transportation and health tool (THT). This tool is designed to be a
useful resource for transportation decision-makers around the country,
providing an overview and a key perspective on how their decisions
impact the health of the communities they serve. The THT is under
development with an anticipated online launch in fall 2014. For more
information, contact Lilly Shoup at lilly.shoup@dot.gov."
To view the source web post, please visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/health_in_transportation/resources/health_tool/index.cfm.
Bike
Commuting up 10% from 2011
According to a
September 23rd American Bicyclist Update article, "New 2012 data released
last week from the American Community Survey (ACS) confirmed what many
people are seeing on the streets: More people are commuting by bike.
According to the ACS, there was an almost 10% increase in bike
commuting from 2011 to 2012. Since 2000, ACS data shows a 61.6%
increase in bicycle commuting." To view the source article,
please visit http://bikeleague.org/content/acs-bike-commuting-continues-rise.
New from AASHTO:
Commuting In America
According to an American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials (AASHTO) email announcement, "AASHTO has
released the first parts of Commuting in America 2013 - a series of 16
briefs analyzing the evolving role of commuting, which accounts for 28
percent of the passenger miles traveled on America's roadways. The
report reveals new modal patterns and trends." To view these
publications, please visit https://bookstore.transportation.org/search.aspx?Text=commuting.
AMTRAK Teams with Google
to Create Interactive Train Locator Map
According to an
AMTRAK press release, "Amtrak is introducing an innovative way to
see where trains are and when they are expected to arrive, including
information on stations nation-wide, all through a new interactive
train locator map built on the easy-to-use, familiar Google Maps
interface. The new train location tracking system, available at Amtrak.com, provides
near real-time train status of more than 300 daily trains, estimates of
arrival times and station information - all in the context of the
Amtrak national system map. Users can search for information by train
number or name, city and station name, or code." For more
information, please visit blog.amtrak.com.
Bikes Are Outselling New
Cars in Europe
According to an
October 24 NPR article, "Bicycle sales outpaced new-car sales last
year in every European country, except Belgium and Luxembourg. The top
five countries by bicycle sales can be seen in the chart below."
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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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