Delaware Transit Corporation will conduct Public Hearing Workshops to obtain comments on proposed changes to DART First State Fixed Route Bus Service. Sussex County, Resort Transit and Route 305 – Beach Connection will become effective the week of May 20, 2013; New Castle and Kent Counties will become effective June 16 and June 17, 2013, respectively. The workshops are being held:
Thursday, March 28, 2013 – 11:30 AM to 1 PM
Rehoboth Beach Convention Center – Conference Suite
229 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach 19971
Monday, April 1, 2013 – 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM
Carvel State Office Building, 2nd Floor Auditorium
820 N. French Street, Wilmington 19801
Tuesday, April 2, 2013 – 3 PM to 5 PM
DelDOT Administrative Building, Farmington/Felton Room
800 Bay Road (US 113), Dover 19903
The proposal calls for (by County):
New Castle County (to become effective Sunday, June 16):
• Minor time adjustments
• Route 17 – Saturday service would be improved to operate every 60 minutes instead of every 90 minutes from 9 AM to 7:30 PM.
• Route 32 – Wilmington Trolley – Saturday service would be discontinued due to low ridership. Those resources would be reallocated to increasing frequencies on Route 17 Saturday service to every 60 minutes (see bullet above).
• Routes 62 & 63 – Existing services would be replaced with a new on-demand route that circulates in the Churchmans Crossing area. The route would serve area bus stops and also offer curbside service to customers who call at least one hour in advance. This pilot (experimental service) is contingent upon negotiations with area businesses, communities and a successful response from a contractor for a potential implementation date in July 2013.
Kent County (to become effective Monday, June 17):
• Route 107 – route path would be realigned to serve Luther Village, as well as DART Administration Office and DelDOT campus. As a result, service would operate every 60 minutes instead of every 30 minutes. Saturday trip will not serve DART Administration Office, DelDOT campus or Blue Hen Corporate Center.
Resort Service:
• Routes 201-208 operate seven days a week from Thursday, May 23 through September 15, 2013.
• Parking fee at Rehoboth Park & Ride would change from $7 per vehicle to $8 per vehicle, instituting a limit of 4 passengers per vehicle receiving a free Daily Pass. The Discounted Employee Parking would change from $3 to $4 per vehicle.
• Route 206 Weekend/Holiday – The 7:00am trip arriving at the Georgetown Transit Hub would be changed to arrive at 6:50am. The 5:30pm trip arriving at the Georgetown Transit Hub would be changed to arrive at 5:26pm. The 8:15am trip will leave Georgetown Transit Center at 8:00am to improve connections in Rehoboth. The 6:45pm trip will leave Market St at Railroad Avenue at 6:35pm to improve timing.
Route 305 – Beach Connection:
• Route 305 operates between Wilmington and Rehoboth with one trip on Fridays; 3 trips on Saturdays; and 2 trips on Sundays and Holidays from May 24 to September 2. The first trip leaving Rehoboth Sundays and Holidays will leave at 11:02am to better connect to the Route 208.
The proposal is available for public review at most libraries, state service centers and at the reception desks of DART First State offices and the DelDOT Administration Building in Dover, and online at www.DartFirstState.com.
At the hearing, a hearing reporter will officially transcribe comments intended for the record by the public. People unable to attend may send their comments to:
DART First State Public Hearing
P.O. Box 1670
Wilmington, DE 19899-1670
Comments can also be e-mailed through DART’s website at www.DartFirstState.com/publichearing. All comments, written and e-mailed, must be received by April 3, 2013.
Persons having hearing disabilities who need interpreters should contact the Delaware Transit Corporation in writing by March 22, 2013, at the address previously provided for public hearing comments.
The Delaware Transit Corporation has the legal authority in Delaware for initiating public transit service changes as defined in Title 2 Chapter 13 section 1309 of the Delaware Code.
