The state’s Congressional Delegation announced the award of a $500,000 Corridor Identification and Development grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to the Delaware Transit Corporation to study rail service in Delaware.
Funding for this grant came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supported by the three members of the delegation.
The state will use this grant to fund a study of a new corridor that would connect at least one point on the Northeast Corridor in northern Delaware (Newark or Wilmington) with a point on the Eastern Shore (Salisbury or Berlin) via Dover.
The proposed corridor would provide new service on an existing alignment. The corridor sponsor would enter step one of the program to develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing, completing, or documenting its service development plan.
“As a near-daily Amtrak commuter, I know that rail service is not only a great way to travel but also an important solution to reducing roadway traffic and transportation emissions,” said Senator Tom Carper, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “This grant award will help explore new rail service in the Delmarva Peninsula and is one of many to strengthen our nation’s rail infrastructure.”
Delaware Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski said, “This is the first step of a years-long, multi-step process to become eligible for federal funding that will be needed to provide expanded rail service in Delaware. This study will provide us with valuable information and guidance on what service could look like and cost.”
“Restoring commuter rail to downstate Delaware will expand the number of good-paying jobs that are within reach of neighbors while also expanding the workforce pool that local businesses can draw from,” said State Sen. Spiros Mantzavinos, D-Westgate Farms, a member of the Senate Transportation Committee and the Joint Capital Improvement Committee. “In a state that’s only 95 miles long, runs in a straight line from north to south, and already has unused train stations in almost every town, commuter rail just makes good economic sense. I’m grateful to the Federal Railroad Administration for providing this funding so that we can take the next step toward reestablishing passenger rail service south of Newark.”
The idea of rail service in central and southern Delaware has surfaced from time to time, with Amtrak running a train once a year to the Delaware State Fair for a time.
