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Notice of Public Hearing Workshops for Proposed Changes to DART Bus Services

Sep 11, 2018

Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC) will conduct Public Hearing Workshops to obtain comments on proposed changes to DART Statewide Fixed Route Bus Services to become effective Sunday, December 9, 2018.

Thursday, September 13, 2018 - 3 PM to 5 PM

Georgetown Public Library

123 West Pine Street

Georgetown DE 19947

Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - 11 AM to 1 PM

Route 9 Library & Innovation Center (Multi-Purpose Room B)

3022 New Castle Avenue

New Castle DE 19720

Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - 4 PM to 6 PM

Wilmington Public Library (The Commons)

10 East 10th Street

Wilmington DE 19801

Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - 3 PM to 5 PM

Dover Public Library (Multi-Purpose Room A)

35 Loockerman Plaza

Dover DE 19901

The workshops will begin with the first segment (approx. 30 minutes) as an open house, allowing attendees to view proposal boards, interact with staff, receive clarification, fill out comment forms and complete a fare payment survey.  The remainder of the workshop will include a presentation of the proposed service changes, followed by public testimony for those wishing to provide comments to the audience, and to the hearing reporter.  Attendees may also provide comments privately to the hearing reporter during the open house or following public testimony.

Please view schedule proposal or visit DartFirstState.com for maps and specific schedules.

New Castle County - Schedule times would be adjusted on most routes to improve on-time performance and connections. 

Route 4:  Weekday service would operate every 20 minutes from 7 AM to 7 PM; every 30 minutes after 7 PM.  Merchant Square Shopping Center would be served onsite in both directions.  Service to/from Barley Mill Plaza would be discontinued due to low ridership. 

Route 5:  Routing within Christiana Mall would be revised to serve the Park & Ride first and end at the Target bus stop.  Weekday trips would operate every 20 minutes throughout the day.

Routes 7 and 28 would be combined as Route 28:  Operating between Wilmington DMV and A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital, route would provide more direct access between US 13, south of the city, 4th St., St. Francis Hospital, Trolley Square and A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital.  Service would operate every 30 minutes during weekday peak hours, off-peak and Saturday service would operate every 90 minutes.  Amtrak Station, Hedgeville and Broom Street would no longer be served on this route; however, Route 48 would provide alternate service between Amtrak and downtown to A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital, JP Morgan, and AstraZeneca; Routes 2, 18 and 35 would provide alternate service on Broom Street between 18th St. and Concord Pike.

Route 13:  An early morning Sunday trip would be added from Tri-State Mall to Wilton at 8:45 AM to address overcrowding. 

Route 15:  Routing within Christiana Mall would be revised to serve the Park & Ride first, ending at the Target bus stop.

Route 20:  Unproductive peak hour trips would be reduced while mid-day service would be increased, alternating with Route 52 mid-day service.

Route 33:  Routing from Downtown Wilmington to Newark would use Washington Street to quickly access I-95 rather than Delaware Ave.   At Christiana Mall, only the Park & Ride would be served, discontinuing service to the Target stop, to provide a faster ride. 

Route 34:  Route would be discontinued due to low ridership.  Routes 6, 16 and 33 provide service between Newark and Downtown Wilmington; Route 55 between Newark and Christiana Mall.

Route 38:  Route would be discontinued due to low ridership.  Routes 11, 13 and 31 offer alternate service.

Route 40:  Routing from Downtown Wilmington to Peoples Plaza would use Washington Street to quickly access I-95 rather than Delaware Ave.   At Christiana Mall, only the Park & Ride would be served, discontinuing service to the Target stop, to provide a faster ride. 

Route 42:  Route would be discontinued due to low ridership.  Service between Peoples Plaza and Wilmington is provided by Route 40 (both local and express); Routes 46 and 302 serve DE 896 connecting to Routes 16 and 33 at the DE 896 & DE 4 Park & Ride to Wilmington.

Route 45:  Discontinue duplicative mid-day service on the first three trips from Wilmington as Route 301 provides service to Odessa Park & Ride.  Boyds Corner Park & Ride would no longer be served mid-day.

Route 47:   Route would use new US 301 limited-access highway instead of DE 896 to/from Middletown.

Route 48:   Routing would be revised from Amtrak to serve only Rodney Square, JP Morgan, AstraZeneca and A.I DuPont Hospital as a limited-stop service.

Route 52:  Mid-day service would be added, alternating with Route 20 service.

Kent County

Route 107:  Route would be revised to serve Luther Village after Tudor Plaza.

Route 120:  Minor time changes to improve on-time performance.

Route 210:  Route would be extended to serve the Bayhealth Sussex Campus resulting in service operating every 75 minutes instead of hourly.

Sussex County

Routes 212 and 215:  Minor time changes to improve on-time performance.

Intercounty

Route 301: Minor time changes to improve on-time performance.

Route 307:  Route would be extended to serve the Bayhealth Sussex Campus.  Based on ridership and customer requests, the entire schedule would change.  The first southbound trip from Dover would leave at 5:15 AM; last trip at 7:07 PM; the first northbound trip would leave Lewes at 6:30 AM; last trip at 8:21 PM.

DTC is developing a DART Reduced Service Schedule to operate on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

DTC wants to offer our customers fare payment options that are convenient, dependable and allow for quick boarding.   With that in mind, we’re asking customers to complete a fare payment survey.

A summary of proposed changes and service proposals are available for review online at DartFirstState.com, at the reception desks of DART Administrative Offices, and at the Wilmington, Route 9, Dover and Georgetown Libraries.  For information on an alternative format, please call (302) 760-2827.

Comments may also be sent to:  DART First State Public Hearing, 119 Lower Beech St., Wilmington, DE 19805-4440 or online at DartFirstState.com/publichearing by September 24, 2018.

If an accommodation such as an interpreter for the hearing impaired or a language translator is needed, please call (302) 760-2827, one week in advance.

Stay Informed!