Route 1 transit hub has great potential
As Delaware’s Department of Transportation gets its plans together for the new transit hub and maintenance center at the former Wright Chrysler property on Route 1, representatives of the state’s divisions of arts, parks and tourism should all have places at the table. This highly visible gateway to Delaware’s beaches begs to be so much more than just a bus station and garage.
The buses that serve the local routes can’t just be city buses brought to the beach. They need to be part of the beach experience, some of them open air, wrapped in artistic scenes of the region, reflecting the area’s love of its beaches, its wildlife and the outdoor life.
The building itself, with murals, can also be a statement reflecting the rich artistic resources of the region. It can be a warm-up act for the beach life, nightlife, outdoor life and artistic life for visitors coming to the area. We are a major destination and need to act like one.
The new transportation hub can also be an extension of the parks division’s mission. A kiosk can be placed on-site to act as a passive information center informing travelers of the many parks and refuges in the area and the buses to get them there.
Finally, transportation planning for the area is involving more emphasis on bicycle and pedestrian links between communities. Planning outward from the Route 1 transportation hub, a system of safe and convenient trails should provide residents of the many communities west of Route 1 a way to access the hub and its transportation options.
Residents of those communities can walk or ride their bicycles to the hub.
Then they can hop on board a bus to make their way to downtowns, parks, shopping, Destination Station at the Rehoboth Park and Ride, the Boardwalk, beaches, restaurants, jobs – or, at the end of the night, make their way back to the hub by bus for a responsible and safe trip home.
Transportation is becoming a larger part of the beach destination, and the Route 1 hub being planned by state transportation officials can show off the best of 21st century urban planning.
