The Rodney Square bus mess

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Good morning,

The state-owned transit system is beginning to deal with a problem, largely of its own creation,  when, almost by accident, city landmark  Rodney Square became a transit hub.

The latest DART First State schedule makes what appear to be big changes. A lengthy release announcing the schedule that goes into effect in mid-December mentions changes that were made in response to public input that came during public hearings.

A last-minute effort is now underway, with community groups and even the state AFL-CIO working to halt the change.

The issue has been festering over the years.

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If memory serves,  DART punted on a fix a few years ago as it became clear that Rodney Square was becoming a  mess. The diesel fumes and sometimes late buses jockeying for position created a poor environment.

For riders, the smelly  hub  worked after a fashion  as much of the northern DART fleet converged on  the square

 During a hearing on the changes, the business community was slammed for offering their views supporting the change,  but the real fault lies with a  “kick the can down the road”  mentality that has infected government in Delaware.

There has also been a failure to communicate the major shift in the city as development takes place on lower  Market Street (LOMA) and the Riverfront, with the Biden train station becoming a focal point.

Moving toward the groundbreaking stage is a transit center near the station. With some innovative routing, people will get to their destinations with minimal inconvenience. Granted, bus shelters are an issue, but some advanced planning would have helped.

Unfortunately, communications out of DART have been muddled as passengers wait with dread for the next schedule change.

Is DART the most wonderful transit agency in existence or does it need help?  Your thoughts are always welcome. Simply offer your reviews and hit the reply button.

And Happy Hanukkah to our readers celebrating the Festival of Lights. – Doug Rainey, Publisher

 
 
 
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