Approximately $2.2 billion dollars of anticipated transportation projects are proposed in draft Transportation Improvement Program amendments, released for review by the Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) Monday.
The draft FY 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for New Castle and Cecil counties is a four-year listing of transportation priorities and projects based upon available funding. Because transportation funding shortfalls remain in the region, the proposed projects focus on preserving existing infrastructure and addressing safety concerns, while funding for lower priorities has been deferred beyond the four-year program, according to WILMAPCO. In addition to safety and preservation funding, continued funding maximizes use of funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Key projects moving forward include improvements at I-95/U.S. 202 and I-95/S.R. 1 interchanges, rail improvements from Wilmington to Newark, U.S. 301 expressway construction and multimodal preservation and safety improvements in New Castle and Cecil counties.
Overall, the proposed amendments increase funding by approximately 14 percent; including an 8 percent increase in funding for transportation infrastructure and an increase of more than $5.7 million for walking and bicycling improvements.
The public comment period will extend through Sept. 1. The public may review and comment on the proposed TIP at a Public Workshop on Monday, August 30, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at WILMAPCO’s Newark headquarters.
For more information, visit www.wilmapco.org/tip.
Comments about the TIP may be submitted online or in writing to: Wilmington Area Planning Council, 850 Library Avenue, Suite 100, Newark, DE 19703; by fax to (302) 737-9584; or, by e-mail to wilmapco@wilmapco.org.
