DART First State newly approved bus routes begin

Stephen B. Kingsberry, executive director of the Delaware Department of Transportation’s Delaware Transit Corp., announced the proposed changes to DART First State bus service have been approved.

The changes became effective Sunday, Dec. 6.

Sussex County bus route changes include:

• The bus stop located on DelTech’s Georgetown campus will no longer serve as a transit hub where customers can transfer between Routes 206, 212 and 303. Only Route 212 will continue to serve this stop; Routes 206 and 303 will not. The new Georgetown transit hub will be located at Railroad and Layton avenues in downtown Georgetown, and it will be served by Routes 206, 212 and 303. Based on this relocation, all routes will have time changes. Route 212 will serve DelTech; Route 206 will serve the Georgetown State Service Center, Sussex Correctional Institution and Georgetown Plaza.

• Route 206 – Two new trips will be added: a round trip leaving Georgetown at 12:30 p.m., arriving in Rehoboth at 1:44 p.m., departing Rehoboth at 1:55 p.m. and arriving in Georgetown at 3:11 p.m.; and another round trip leaving Georgetown at 3:15 p.m., ending at Allen Foods in Harbeson at 3:42 p.m., departing Allen Foods at 4:15 p.m. and arriving in Georgetown at 4:42 p.m. Because of the hub relocation, the stop at DelTech, and the stops on Route 113 at Edward St., at North St. and opposite Bramhall St., will no longer be served.

• Route 212 – Trips leaving the new Georgetown transit hub at 10:55 a.m., 7:05 p.m., and 9:35 p.m. will be express trips between DelTech and Walmart in Seaford. Service to Georgetown State Service Center will be discontinued. The inbound Route 212 trip from Laurel Commons at 6:29 a.m., arriving at DelTech at 7:44 a.m., will no longer serve the bus stop located at the Georgetown State Service Center.

• Route 303 – Two express trips will be added. A round trip will leave Georgetown at 6:30 a.m., with stops in Milford and Little Heaven, arrive in Dover at 7:19 a.m., leave Dover at 7:30 a.m. and arrive in Georgetown at 8:19 a.m. Another round trip will leave Georgetown at 4:30 p.m., arrive in Dover at 5:19 p.m., leave Dover at 5:35 p.m. and arrive in Georgetown at 6:32 p.m. Because of the hub relocation, the stops between DelTech and Railroad Ave. will no longer be served; however, the stop on Bedford St. at Douglas will be served on the express trips.
 
Intercounty service
• Route 301 – Most trips will operate on Route 1 between Scarborough Road in Dover and Smyrna Rest Stop Park & Ride; local trips will be operated by new Route 120. In Wilmington, the stops on King Street at 8th Street and at 3rd Street will no longer be served by Route 301. In Dover, the Dover Mall will no longer be served by Route 301.
During the hours that the local Route 120 is in service, the bus stops between Water Street and Delaware State University will not be served by Route 301; however, they will be served after 6:15 p.m. The 7:50 a.m. northbound trip will leave at 7:55 a.m. to improve transfer connections from Route 303. In addition, the 2:16 p.m. arriving in Smyrna will be adjusted by one minute to make the connection with the new Route 120. The 4:40 p.m. northbound trip will now serve the Smyrna’s Mt. Vernon stop.
For public information for all fixed route services statewide, call 800-652-DART. Paratransit reservations and GoLink information is available at 800-553-DART.