What is Wilmington Initiatives?

The Wilmington Initiatives projects are designed to promote a balanced transportation system by incorporating improvements to all modes of circulation. Projects work to enhance livability in Wilmington by making better connections between development, transportation, and public spaces.  Because of our efforts, circulation in Wilmington continues to improve with the implementation of sound transportation and quality of life enhancements. The Wilmington Initiative projects, totaling $45 million, are possible due to the continued efforts of a multi-agency partnership between the City of Wilmington, Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC, operating as DART First State), and WILMAPCO.

 

Wilmington Initiatives is sponsoring an opportunity for the public to review of several proposed transportation projects in the City of Wilmington. Representatives from DelDOT, DART, the City of Wilmington, and WILMAPCO will be available to answer questions, listen to input, and address concerns.

 Featured projects will include:
  • 4th Street Safety Improvements – includes improvements to the operation and safety of the corridor to address needed improvements for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users from Walnut to Adams Streets.
  • Walnut Street Safety Improvements – seeks to create a safer vehicular and pedestrian environment, and improve the visual appearance of Walnut St from 3rd to 16th.
  • Wilmington Transit Corridor Improvements – Add bus shelters with real time signs, construct sidewalk and crosswalk improvements on Orange and King Streets between MLK Blvd and 10th Street, and 8th and 9th Streets between Adams and Church Streets.
  • South Wilmington Shared-Use Pathway – A shared use path will be constructed between S. Church Street and S. Walnut Street south of the City of Wilmington’s new Wetland Park.
  • DART Reimagined – a statewide transit study led by Delaware Transit Corporation to identify opportunities to reconfigure the bus network and future service plan to provide a more sustainable and equitable statewide transit system.
  • Broom Street Reconfiguration – The project limits are Pennsylvania Avenue to Maryland Avenue. The reconfiguration will remove a travel lane between Pennsylvania Avenue and Lancaster Avenue and will add bike lanes and amenities.
  • Bridging I-95: Connecting the Community (Cap Feasibility Study) – a study of capping one or more sections of I-95 between the Delaware Avenue and 6th Street bridges to create new connections between neighborhoods and new public spaces for the community to enjoy.
  • Southbridge Streetscape Phases II & III – Includes pedestrian upgrades south of A Street along Heald Street and New Castle Avenue, and along the eastern side of New Castle Avenue, between A and B Streets.
  • The 12th Street Connector – This project would add a new roadway connection between US 13 (Northeast Boulevard) and the 16th Street Bridge and reconfigure intersections on either end to improve safety, environmental sustainability, and quality of life. 
 

 View June 22, 2022 Public Workshop Display Boards:

Share your thoughts! Please email any comments to Randi Novakoff at rnovakoff@wilmapco.org or call WILMAPCO at (302) 737-6205.

 

June 19, 2019 Workshop Materials

Current Projects:

Other Projects:

Union Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Intersection Safety Project

Three concepts for improvements to the safety of the intersection at Union Street and Pennsylvania Avenue were presented during a public workshop attended by more then 70 people in January 2019.    These options have been developed to achieve a number of goals:

  • Improve pedestrian safety and the accessibility of sidewalks
  • Improve accessibility of transit stops
  • Improve connectivity for bicyclists
  • Address the impact of the proposed development at 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue
  • Evaluate current and proposed conditions for vehicular traffic

By addressing these goals, the City intends to create a fully connected, accessible, and welcoming pedestrian environment, while also improving safety for all modes of travel. These improvements will provide safer access to destinations along Pennsylvania Avenue as well as Little Italy and other nearby neighborhoods. This is a conceptual study. Once an alternative is selected funding must be identified, and design plans prepared, before construction can begin. We don’t know how long that will take, but we will continue to keep the public updated as the project progresses.

Christiana River Bridge Crossing Project

This project proposes a new multi-modal crossing over the Christina River in order to add another access point to Wilmington Riverfront attractions and to improve access to US 13, I-495 and I-95. The project includes the bridge approaches and connections to the existing street grid. The presentation will include the alternative bridge locations under consideration, as well as the traffic modeling and analysis for the project.

Please visit DelDOT’s Christina River Bridge Crossing project website for more information and future updates:  www.deldot.gov/information/projects/crb/

 

Wilmington’s Transportation Enhancement (TE) Projects

DelDOT and local programs provide the funding needed to support the TE program, which emphasizes the development and implementation of a variety of projects that highlight cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the transportation system. Information will be available for the following TAP projects in Wilmington:

  • 9th Street Enhancements, Phase II
  • 11th Street Enhancements
  • Brandywine South Pedestrian & Trail Improvements
  • City of Wilmington Bicycle Improvements
  • Concord Avenue Streetscape Improvements, Phase II
  • Old Brandywine Village Streetscape Improvements
  • Southbridge Streetscape Improvements, Phase II

Concord Avenue Streetscape Improvements

South Wilmington Wetland Restoration and Conservation Project

A wetland park is being designed in South Wilmington.  This $23.9 million project will create a high functioning wetland to handle excess stormwater runoff.  The project, designed with the  support of the Southbrige Civic Association,  promises to reduce chronic flooding in the Southbridge neighborhood, provide new green space and recreational opportunities, spur economic and housing development, and restore damaged natural habitat.  In addition, the project will create important transportation connections between Southbridge and the Riverfront – including new streets and a walking and bicycling trail. The new wetland park will be located in an existing wetland east of Walnut Street.

If you would like more information about this project please contact:

City of Wilmington Office of Economic Development
Jeff Flynn, Director
jflynn@wilmingtonde.gov
(302) 576-2120

Other Studies:

  • Pedestrian and Transit Corridor Enhancements to King and Orange Streets, Draft Design, 1999 (PDF  38mb)

Wilmington Initiatives Objectives:

  • To provide a well-balanced transportation system for local and regional access, including walking, bicycling, transit, and private vehicles
  • To promote economic development related to community objectives
  • To improve the visual quality of the corridors for residents, workers and visitors in keeping with community character
  • To enhance safety for all modes of travel and environmental quality within the corridors
  • To support coherent and viable neighborhoods in sync with other community goals

Learn more:

For more information about any of the Wilmington Initiative Projects, please contact Dave Gula at dgula@wilmapco.org or (302) 737-6205.