1:50 p.m., Oct. 30, 2008----Newark's new transit hub at the head of East Main Street, established this summer to create a streamlined nexus for all DART transportation bus routes serving Newark, is making it easier than ever for commuting students and employees of the University of Delaware to take advantage of public transportation.

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Now the central Newark stop for seven routes--6, 31, 33, 34, 39, 55 and 65--the $1.2 million hub, funded in part by a Federal Highway Administration program, offers a large, glassed-in shelter with benches; secure lock posts where cyclists can chain bikes; and an 80-space parking lot, owned by the City of Newark and adjacent to the hub, where motorists with appropriate permits can securely park their cars. The hub, with its wide new sidewalks with cutaway curbs, also is wheelchair accessible and pedestrian friendly.

“As fuel costs and environmental awareness increase, public transit is becoming an American way of life,” said Carolann Wicks, Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) secretary. “For some, a bus is the only way to get to work or school. For others--some who have never ridden a [public transit] bus before and are hopping on board now--we want to make them lifelong customers.”

To promote this mission at UD, DART is now offering a free three-week bus pass to UD students and staff who register at [www.dartfirststate.com/dtc.ejs?command=PublicDTCUofD].

“Our city is very excited about the Newark Transit Hub,” said Vance A. Funk III, mayor of Newark. “It reduces traffic on Main Street while encouraging more of our residents and guests to use public transportation.”

Originally designed to tame what had become an inefficient pattern of crisscrossing routes through Newark, the hub also fits in with UD's ongoing push toward reducing its carbon footprint, as more students and employees of the University avail themselves of the convenience of public transit.

Eric Nelson, a commuting UD employee who has relied on DART for the past three years to transport him to Newark from Wilmington and back again, said that the new hub's amenities, like the shelter, also make it more user-friendly than the previous curbside stops.

“The shelter is definitely a step up from standing out on the curb, especially in inclement weather,” said Nelson, a manager in UD's Office of Communications & Marketing. “I also like the fact that because the hub is the first stop, I always get my choice of seats.”

For UD commuting students and employees considering using DART buses served by the new transit hub, the following route information should be helpful:

• Route 6 now begins and ends at the Newark Transit Hub, no longer serving Newark Municipal Building. Passengers can, however, transfer to route 31 (the Newark trolley) or route 33 at the hub, in order to get to Elkton Road.
• Route 31 (the Newark trolley) serves bus stops on East Main Street, adjacent to the Newark Shopping Center, and at the Newark Transit Hub on Pomeroy Lane. The promotional fare of 25 cents will remain in effect, due to a subsidy from the city of Newark.
• Routes 33 and 39 extend to the Newark Transit Hub via Delaware Avenue, and no longer serve South College Avenue between Delaware Avenue and West Park Place.
• Route 34 ends at the Newark Transit Hub, no longer serving South College Avenue.
• Route 55 extends nonpeak trips from Glasgow to Newark, serving bus stops on East Main Street, adjacent to the Newark Shopping Center, and on Delaware Avenue, adjacent to the Newark Transit Hub.
• Route 65 has been realigned to serve the Bank of America Deerfield site on Paper Mill Road (state route 72), eliminating the eastern portion of the route, no longer serving Avon or the White Clay Center on state route 273, due to low ridership.

Passengers who take three or more trips a day should purchase a daily pass from the driver for $2.40 for the best value. Daily passes can be purchased with cash, or, for even more savings, with a DARTCard.

For more information on DART transportation options, call 1-800-652-DART or visit [www.DartFirstState.com].

Article by Becca Hutchinson
Graphics courtesy of DART