A draft of WILMAPCO's Public Participation Plan (PPP) is now available for public review and comment. The PPP outlines WILMAPCO's strategies for involving the public in transportation planning activities and decisions. It also educates the public about the planning process and encourages the public’s guidance and review of the plans, programs, and documents developed by WILMAPCO. The draft plan is available for public comment through August 25, 2008. Information will also be available at a public workshop on August 18, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at WILMAPCO, 850 Library Ave., Newark, DE. The plan is also available on our website at www.wilmapco.org/participation.htm and at local area libraries in Cecil and New Castle Counties. Anyone wishing to submit comments can:

Attend the August 18 public workshop
Email rnovakoff@wilmapco.org
Write to WILMAPCO at 850 Library Ave., Suite 100, Newark, DE 19711
Fax to 302-737-9584

Don't miss this important opportunity to shape how WILMAPCO reaches out and involves you in transportation planning and decision making.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (TIP) AMENDMENTS

The public is invited to comment on proposed amendments made to WILMAPCO’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for fiscal years 2009-2012 by the passage of the Delaware Bond Bill this June. The TIP provides federal funding for transportation projects in our region. We develop the document based on anticipated funding, air quality requirements, and public participation. The public comment period will begin August 1 and extend through September 11. Information will be available for public review and comment at the public workshop on August 18 at WILMAPCO. All information is also available at WILMAPCO's office and at www.wilmapco.org. Proposed new projects include funding for the Brandywine Valley and Route 9 Scenic Byways, Centreville Transportation Plan Implementation, and the C&D Canal Trail. Other amendments involve shifting the timing of funds forward or backward. Residents wishing to submit comments about the TIP amendments can:

Mail comments to WILMAPCO at 850 Library Ave., Suite 100, Newark, DE 19711
Attend the August 18 public workshop
Attend the September 11 Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at WILMAPCO, to speak during the public comment period
Submit comments via email to wilmapco@wilmapco.org

For more information about the proposed TIP amendments visit www.wilmapco.org/tip.

LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is in the process of updating its statewide Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The LRTP helps to set a course and guide DelDOT and their planning partners in the development of transportation projects. The Plan's primary goal is to emphasize quality of life achieved through balancing the needs of people with the needs of the transportation network. Potential changes to the Plan include a stronger focus on multi-modal systems, strategic placement of park and ride facilities, expansion of rail facilities, and innovative funding strategies and partnerships. For more information on the plan attend a public workshop at WILMAPCO on August 18, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., or contact DelDOT Public Relations at 1-800-652-5600 (in DE) or 302-760-2080.

WILMAPCO PUBLIC WORKSHOP

WILMAPCO invites you to an "open house" public workshop on Monday, August 18, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the front lobby of our office at 850 Library Avenue, Newark, DE. The workshop will provide information about the Public Participation Plan (outlines WILMAPCO’s strategies for reaching out to the public), the Proposed Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Amendments (provides federal funding for transportation projects in our region), and the Delaware Department of Transportation's Statewide Long-Range Plan Update (guides the development of transportation projects) More information can be found on WILMAPCO's website at www.wilmapco.org or by calling WILMAPCO at 302-737-6205 or 888-808-7088 from Cecil County.

WILMAPCO's VISITS SUMMER CAMPS

As part of WILMAPCO’s public outreach mission, staff members visited two summer camps in July and led the children in exercises designed to get them thinking about transportation and land use in their communities. Four staff members worked with approximately 45 children, ages 8 through 12, at the Latin American Community Center (LACC) in Wilmington. The eager students first made an extensive list of transportation modes—including bicycle, scooter, donkey, and hot air balloon—and then broke into a small-group exercise. Each group received a town and discussed where to locate a school, community center, and ice cream shop, and then placed bus stops, crosswalks and bike racks. The children then presented their towns and explained their choices. Staff member Tamika Odrick visited the Urban Environmental Center in Wilmington and worked with a small group of students from grades 8 through 11. She led them in a similar exercise (updated for older students) and then gave them a quiz about transportation issues and options. WILMAPCO designed the curriculum used at both camps and welcomes inquiries from the public about future outreach opportunities to young people. For more information about WILMAPCO's school children program visit http://www.wilmapco.org/school_program/index.htm.

NONMOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP

This month's Nonmotorized Transportation Workgroup (NMTWG) meeting will be held at a special time, 6:30 p.m., on its regular day, August 5. Topics to be discussed include the draft Wilmington Bicycle Plan, a review of the Transportation Enhancement proposal for fiscal year 2009, and a discussion about Pedestrian Priority Area analysis. For more information about the NMTWG, visit www.wilmapco.org/nmtwg/index.htm.

Member Agency News and Events

OLD KENNETT ROAD BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PUBLIC WORKSHOP

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is holding a public workshop to present plans for a bridge replacement project on Old Kennett Road. The workshop will be on Monday, August 11, at the Ashland Nature Center, 3511 Barley Mill Road, in Hockessin. The public is invited to attend any time between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The goal of this workshop is to inform the public about:

Plans to replace the bridge over a tributary of the Red Clay Creek on Old Kennett Road
Improvements to Old Kennett Road in the immediate vicinity of the bridge

For further information contact DelDOT Public Relations at 1-800-652-5600 (in DE) or 302-760-2080.

FHWA/FTA SUMMER 2008 WORKSHOPS

The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration are teaming up to hold six regional workshops across the U.S. to advance the integration of Management and Operations (M&O) and the Congestion Management Process (CMP) in metropolitan transportation planning. These one-day workshops aim to equip senior planners and operations managers from Metropolitan Planning Organizations, state Departments of Transportation, transit agencies, and local operating agencies to lead transitions toward an objectives-driven, performance-based approach in their regions. This region's workshop will be held at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission on August 12, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The workshops are free of charge; however, space is limited. If you are interested in participating, contact Heather Rigdon at Heather.M.Rigdon@saic.com, or 703-676-6828. For more information about the workshop, visit the following link http://www.dvrpc.org/announce/2008-08_Workshop.pdf.

PUBLIC WORKSHOP - 2007 MONITORING AND TRIGGERING REPORT FOR THE ROUTE 40 CORRIDOR

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and WILMAPCO will hold a public workshop for the 2007 Monitoring and Triggering Report for the Route 40 Corridor. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2008, at the Bear Library, Community Room #1, 100 Governors Place, Bear. The public is invited to attend any time between 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The Monitoring and Triggering Report is an annual report of the transportation and land use conditions in the Route 40 Corridor, from the Maryland State Line to US 13. It is one of the key recommendations that were part of the Route 40 Transportation Plan adopted June 19, 2000. The report details monitoring results, progress on the implementation of the Plan since 2006, and recommendations of the Corridor Monitoring Committee (CMC) of any revisions to the implementation of the Plan.

MARYLAND TRAILS: STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (TSIP)

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is leading a strategic planning effort to guide development of a bicycle and pedestrian trail network that connects people to the places in which they live, work and play. The plan will chart a course for Maryland’s state and local agencies to implement a seamless, multi-use trail system that can be used for transportation by bicyclists, pedestrians, runners and others. MDOT is is looking for your input on the plan development process. There are two ways to provide input:

Complete a simple online survey. Click on the following link, which will take you to directly to the survey at the SurveyMonkey website. It will take just a few minutes to fill out.
www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=aFsezUukX8MtDQEpOXS3_2fQ_3d_3d.
Second, through the project website, MDOT provides an opportunity to use Google Maps to provide geographic information about where trail improvements and linkages are needed. Go to the following website: www.mdot.state.md.us/Planning/TSIP/trails.html. You will find instructions there and a link to the Maryland Trails Google Map.

In addition to completing the survey (and giving MDOT your ideas on a map), you are encouraged to forward this information to your friends, colleagues and fellow members of bicycle, pedestrian or trail interest groups in which you are involved. The survey and map will remain open from now through September 30, 2008. For more information about the project, visit the project homepage at www.mdot.state.md.us/Planning/TSIP/index.html.

Local News and Events

NORTHERN TRANSPORTATION AND AIR QUALITY SUMMIT

The Northern Transportation and Air Quality Summit (NTAQS) will be held in Baltimore, MD, August 13-15, 2008. The Summit is expected to bring together stakeholders from the transportation, planning, and air quality communities to discuss the current and upcoming regulatory environment, new technologies, and current practices. The content is geared toward practitioners in the northern and Mid-Atlantic states involved with public agencies at all levels. A host of speakers from the national and regional levels will present information on key topics, best practices, and latest information vital to transportation, planning, and air quality professionals. For more information, contact Karen Perritt at 410-962-0720 or karen.perritt@dot.gov, or visit the NTAQS website at www.marama.org/ntaqs.

NEWARK TRANSIT HUB RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of the Newark Transit Hub on Thursday, August 21, at 10:00 a.m., on the corner of Farmer Lane and East Delaware Avenue in downtown Newark. The Newark Transit Hub will serve as a new transfer point for public buses and includes passenger shelters, sidewalks, a bike path, landscaping, and a new road - Pomeroy Lane. The Secretary of Transportation Carolann Wicks, Mayor Vance A. Funk III, Delaware Transit Corporation executive director Stephen Kingsberry, residents, and hub users will celebrate the opening.

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL FUNDING AWARDEES ANNOUNCED

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has announced the recent Safe Routes to School (SRTS) project awardees. The SRTS program is a community-based effort that works to ensure that kindergarten through eighth grade students have safe places to walk and bike to school. Three schools in Delaware have been awarded funding for infrastructure projects: Henry M. Brader Elementary School, in New Castle County, and Clayton and North Smyrna Elementary Schools, in Kent County. The Brader projects will include curb ramp, crosswalk, sidewalk, and signage improvements near the school. The school has been awarded approximately $125,000. In addition, the schools have been awarded SRTS non-infrastructure program funding. Brader will utilize their non-infrastructure funding for a Walking School Bus program and Walking/Bicycling incentive program. Any school, grades kindergarten through eighth, wishing to improve the safety for children walking and bicycling to school can participate in a SRTS program. For more information on how WILMAPCO can help your school get the program started, contact Randi Novakoff at 302-737-6205 ext. 11 or rnovakoff@wilmapco.org.

I-95 CORRIDOR GETS FIVE MILLION TO IMPROVE TRUCK PARKING

The I-95 corridor has been selected to receive more than five million dollars in federal support to develop innovative strategies to improve truck parking. The I-95 corridor has been selected under the Corridors of the Future Program, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's national congestion initiative. The Department chose I-95 for the Truck Parking Facilities program because of innovative uses of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technology to provide truckers with real-time information on available parking. The technology will monitor parking availability and transmit updates to truckers. The selection of I-95 was based on a corridor-wide approach to addressing congestion along interstates heavily used to transport freight. On I-95, average daily truck traffic is over 10,000 on certain stretches, with maximum daily truck traffic above 31,000.

SEVERE TRAFFIC DELAYS ON I-95

The Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has announced that severe traffic delays are expected Monday, August 4 through Monday, August 18 due to the Route 141 northbound and southbound ramps to northbound I-95 being closed. The closures are necessary so that the ramps can be realigned with the new fifth lane on I-95. Message boards will be set up that will direct people to use the detour: southbound Route 141 to northbound Route 13 to I-95 northbound or I-495 northbound. The I-95 fifth lane-widening project is expected to be complete by the end of this year. For more traffic information visit DelDOT’s web site at www.deldot.gov or tune to WTMC-AM 1380.

National News and Events

11TH ANNUAL TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT

On August 11, 2008, federal, state, regional and local elected officials and industry professionals from across the country will unite in Irving, Texas, to discuss every mode of transportation and issues affecting highways, transit, high-speed rail, seaports, aviation, security, safety and financing. For more information, visit the conference website at www.transportationsummit.com.

PRO WALK/BIKE CONFERENCE

Join with hundreds of bicycle and pedestrian advocates, elected and appointed officials, bike/pedestrian specialists, transportation experts, land-use planners, safe routes to school coordinators, public health practitioners, and many more who want to make cities and communities more walkable and bicycle-friendly places at the Pro Walk/Bike Conference in Seattle, Washington from September 2-5, 2008. The Pro Walk/Pro Bike Conference is the 15th Biennial International Symposium on Bicycling & Walking. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to see first-hand examples of the facilities and programs that are making Seattle and the Puget Sound models for the roles bicycling and walking can play in 21st century communities. Visit the following link for more information: www.bikewalk.org.

BIKES BELONG BRINGS BIKE SHARING TO NATIONAL CONVENTIONS
When delegates, party officials, and the national media convene at the Democratic and Republican national conventions later this year, they’ll be greeted by a revolutionary new offering: 1,000 free loaner bikes to use during the events. Bikes Belong, in partnership with leading health insurance provider Humana, is planning to bring 1,000 bicycles to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, August 25-28, and another 1,000 bicycles to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, September 1-4. This effort is intended to showcase the bicycle as a healthy, convenient transportation option for short trips. Bikes Belong’s goal is to get convention delegates, officials, media, and local residents to ride bikes during both conventions, using the bikes for short trips between hotels, convention centers, restaurants, and the convention arenas. For more information about the 1000 Bikes At Conventions program and Bikes Belong, visit http://tinyurl.com/63onkm.

TRANSPORTATION STATISTICS ANNUAL REPORT 2007
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics, a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, has released its annual statistical report on the U.S. transportation system. The report includes information on the system's physical components, safety record, economic performance, energy use, and environmental impacts. To view the report visit www.bts.gov.

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, call 302-737-6205 x 10 for cancellations or postponements.

Nonmotorized Transportation Working Group (NMTWG)

Tuesday, August 5

6:30 p.m.

Air Quality Subcommittee (AQS)
Thursday, August 7
10:00 a.m.

WILMAPCO Public Workshop

Monday, August 18

4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Public Advisory Committee (PAC)

Monday, August 18

7:00 p.m.

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)

Thursday, August 21

11:00 a.m.

For updates or more information on upcoming WILMAPCO meetings, visit www.wilmapco.org.

OTHER MEETINGS & EVENTS

DelDOT Meetings
Click here for a complete list of DelDOT Public Meetings.

Maryland State Highway Meetings
Click here for MD SHA meetings.

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