Proposed Changes to DART Bus Services

Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC) invites you to attend an upcoming Public Hearing Workshops to obtain comments on proposed changes to DART Statewide Fixed Route Bus Services to become effective Sunday, May 17, 2020.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020 – 11 AM to 1 PM and 5 PM to 7 PM
Wilmington Public Library, The Commons, 10 East 10th St., Wilmington, 19801

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 – 3 PM to 5 PM
Dover Public Library (Multi-Purpose Room B), 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover, 19901

Thursday, March 5, 2020 – 11 AM to 1 PM
Georgetown Public Library, (Meeting Rm B), 123 West Pine St., Georgetown, 19947

Thursday, March 5, 2020 – 5 PM to 7 PM
Town of Middletown, 19 West Green St., Middletown, 19709

Tuesday, March 10, 2020 – 4 PM to 6 PM
DART Administration Building, 119 Lower Beech St., Wilmington 19805

Each workshop will begin as an open house (approx. 30 mins), allowing attendees to view proposed schedules, interact with staff, receive clarification, and fill out comment forms. 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.

For your convenience, a summary of proposed changes, specific schedules and bus stops eliminations are available for review online at DartFirstState.com, at the reception desks of DART Administrative Offices, and at the Wilmington, Appoquinimink (Middletown), Dover and Georgetown Libraries. For information on an alternative format, please call (302) 760-2827.

We also welcome comments sent to: DART Public Hearing, 119 Lower Beech St., Wilmington, DE 19805-4440 or online at DartFirstState.com/publichearing by March 12, 2020.

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.

Summary of proposed changes:
New Castle County
Wilmington Transit Center (WTC) – The Wilmington Transit Center, located at Front and Walnut Sts. will be opening as the new transfer location for most bus routes in downtown Wilmington.

The following routes will serve WTC: Inside – 2, 5, 6, 11, 20, 31, 33, 35, 40, 52, and 305; Outside on Walnut
St. – 10, 13, 14, 16, 18, 25, 28, 47, new 47X, 54, 55, 301, and new 311. As a result of the opening of WTC,
the above routes would no longer serve Amtrak Station stop (Route 48 will continue to serve the Amtrak
Station stop). The bus stop on Walnut at 3rd St. would be discontinued. In addition:
Routes 2, 5, 6, 11, 20, 31, 33, 35, 40, 52 and 305 would begin and end at WTC.
Routes 10, 54, 55, 301 and new Route 311 would enter Wilmington via I-495 and Walnut St. instead of
using Maryland Ave. and Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Route 5 would be extended from 9th & Market Sts. to WTC. Buses leaving WTC to Christiana Mall would
follow Walnut St. and out 4th St.
Route 18 local routing to Pike Creek from Downtown would follow King St. to 2nd St. Buses would no
longer make the loop via Front St., Walnut St., 4th St. and Shipley St.
Routes 33 and 40 would be revised to enter Wilmington from I-95 via Delaware Ave. exit (Adams St.)
instead of MLK exit (Maryland Ave.). The routing would operate through downtown via Adams St.,
Delaware Ave. and 10th St. to King St., and Front St. to WTC. Buses leaving WTC to Newark or Peoples Plaza
would follow Walnut St. to 8th St., Orange St., 12th St., Delaware Ave., Van Buren, Gilpin, and Jackson Sts. to
reach I-95. Service along Washington St. would be discontinued.

New Holiday Service would be offered on Bus Routes 2, 4, 5, 6, 13, 15, 33, 40, and 47 on Memorial Day,
Independence Day, and Labor Day, using a Saturday schedule, with Paratransit operating complimentary
ADA-only service.

Bus Stop Consolidation – Based on zero or very low ridership, or in close proximity to another stop, DTC is
proposing the removal/consolidation of 25 bus stops throughout New Castle County (see below).
Schedule times on some routes would be adjusted to improve on-time performance and connections.
Please visit DartFirstState.com for specific route schedules.

A summary of route specific changes:
Route 2: Weeknight service after 7 PM would be improved to operate every 45 minutes instead of every
60 minutes with a later last trip departing Wilmington at 10:35 PM and departing Brandywine Town Center
at 11:30 PM.
Route 5: Routing would be extended from 9th at Market to WTC. Buses leaving WTC to Christiana Mall
would follow Walnut St and out 4th St.
Route 11: The first morning trip would begin and end on Lea Blvd. at Washington St, not serving
Rockwood Office Park due to low ridership.
Route 14: A new weekday rush hour trip would serve Riveredge Business Park to meet shift times at
Zenith. The trip would depart Miller Road Shopping Center at 5:45 AM, arrive at Riveredge Business Park
at 6:29 AM and end at DHSS at 6:40 AM.
Route 28: A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital would be served at the main entrance.
Route 33: Two mid-day and two evening weekday trips would no longer serve Fairplay Station due to low
ridership.
Route 43 & new Route 63: Route 43 service would be scheduled to operate during weekday rush hours
connecting Amazon with Odessa Park & Ride. The routing would be revised so that all trips to Amazon
would operate via Industrial Drive. The new weekday Route 63 service would be the neighborhood
connector, by serving Odessa Park & Ride, and offering new service to Broad St., Appoquinimink
Community Library, Middletown Square and Middletown Village. Both routes would provide access to the
Westtown Shopping Center, MOT Industrial Park and Amazon. Route 63 would operate between 5 AM to
10:30 PM.
Route 45: Route would be merged into Route 301. See Intercounty Route 301 for details below.
Route 47: Additional weekday trips would be scheduled from Wilmington to Middletown (6:12 AM and 6:42
AM) and from Middletown to Wilmington (4:05 PM, 4:30 PM, and 6:45 PM). New Route 47X would operate
express service between Middletown and Wilmington via US 301, DE 1, Christiana Mall Park & Ride, I-95 and
I-495. Once the new North Middletown Park & Ride is open, Routes 47 and 47X will provide service to the
Park & Ride.
Route 48: Routing would be streamlined to serve both AstraZeneca and JP Morgan Chase with bus stops on
Powder Mill Rd., rather than going onsite at both locations.

Proposed bus stop removals for New Castle County:

Kent County

Schedule times would be adjusted on some routes to improve on-time performance and connections.
Route 101: Route would be extended to Dover High School, operating every 60 minutes instead of every 30
minutes.
Route 105: Eagle Meadows would continue to be served via flag stops along Sorghum Mill Rd.
Route 117: Route would be extended to serve the Kent County Library between 9 AM and 7 PM; all other
trips would end at Camden Walmart.
Route 120: An additional weekday trip would depart Smyrna Park & Ride at 6:02 PM to Scarborough Road
Park & Ride.

Sussex County

Schedule times would be adjusted on some routes to improve on-time performance and connections.

Seasonal Beach Bus Service

DART’s daily Beach Bus service begins on Monday, May 18, 2020, and has been extended later, ending on
September 20. Rehoboth Park & Ride will now offer free parking, parking at Lewes Transit Center (LTC)
remains free; bus fare paid upon boarding at both locations.
201 Red Line: Service between LTC and Rehoboth operates every 10-30 minutes depending on time of day,
approximately 5:30 AM to 3 AM.
203 Orange Line: Service between LTC and Dewey operates every 30 minutes from 8:30 AM to 2 AM
204 Yellow Line: Service between LTC and Downtown Lewes/Ferry Terminal operates every 30 minutes
from 6 AM to 2 AM. The last bus departs the Ferry Terminal at 9:06 PM.
206 Green Line: Service between LTC and Georgetown operates eight Sunday trips between 7 AM and 12
AM, in addition to its regular weekday/Saturday service.
208 Blue Line: Service between Rehoboth Park & Ride, Dewey, Bethany, and Ocean City, MD operates
approximately every 2 hours, 7:45 AM to 2:25 AM.
215 Purple Line: Service between Rehoboth and Long Neck/Millsboro operates 11 trips to Millsboro, 10
trips to Rehoboth from 5:30 AM to 12:45 AM.
305 Magenta Line: Service between Wilmington Transit Center, Christiana Mall, Odessa Park & Ride
(Middletown), Scarborough Road Park & Ride (Dover), LTC and Rehoboth Park & Ride operates 3 round trips
on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, with an added stop at the new South Frederica Park & Ride along DE 1.

Intercounty

Schedule times on some routes would be adjusted to improve on-time performance and connections.
Route 301 (and former Route 45) & New Route 311: Route 45 trips would be merged into Route 301 and
trip times would change. Route 301 would begin at the Dover Transit Center, follow Governors Ave., State
St. and US 13 stopping at Delaware State University, Park & Rides at Scarborough Road, Smyrna, Odessa,
Boyd’s Corner and Christiana Mall, Wilmington Transit Center and the present Downtown Wilmington bus
stops. Route 301 would not serve the state capitol complex and DelDOT/DMV; however, the new Route 311
would serve them. Route 301 Saturday trips would not serve Boyd’s Corner. New Route 311 would operate
as a weekday Express between Wilmington and Dover serving Downtown Wilmington, Smyrna and
Scarborough Road Park & Rides, Dover Transit Center, state capitol complex and DelDOT/DMV.
Route 307: Route would be extended to serve the new South Frederica Park & Ride along DE 1.

The Delaware Transit Corporation, a subsidiary of the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), operates DART First State. For more information, please visit www.DartFirstState.com or call 1-800-652-DART.
Real-Time Bus Information and DART Pass, the mobile fare payment option, are both available on the free DART Transit App (iOS and Android).

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