Candidate for Wilmington mayor opposes moving bus stops

Scott Spencer calls the plan to break up the DART bus hub at Rodney Square a “shameful sham.”

Spencer was a major proponent of getting DART to implement Sunday bus service, and now he’s making transportation an issue in the city’s mayoral race.  “As gas prices rise toward all time highs this year, DART bus service is a vital alternative for the needs of Delawareans and the residents of the city of Wilmington.”

But Spencer says if the DART bus hub at Rodney Square is moved, that option will become much more inconvenient for many in the city.  He says it will be much more confusing to have buses coming and going from all around the downtown area, instead of at one centralized location.  “The fundamental principle of transportation is to consolidate connections around a single hub.  I have never seen a transit agency break up a center and a hub, and say ‘That’s an improvement.’

DART had planned to move the bus stops from Rodney Square last year, but following protests from riders, bus drivers, and business owners in the area where the new stops would be created, the state delayed the move and called for another study of the idea.  The results of that study arrived late last year, and the reports supported the plan to break up the hub.  One of the main conclusions of the report said, “There are no significant negative transportation-related safety findings associated with the relocation of some bus routes to the Shipley Street location and no discernible changes to level-of-service anticipated.”

Several public hearings are planned for next month to talk about the plan.  Two meetings will be held on April 10 at the Carvel State Office Building in Wilmington from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and then again from 5 to 7 p.m.  Another meeting will be held the next day, April 11 at the DelDOT administration building in Dover from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  The final meeting will be held Thursday April 12 at WILMAPCO in Newark from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  

Spencer says he plans to gather opponents of the planned move to make their voices heard at those public hearings.   “