(The Delaware News Journal posted the following article by Sean O’Sullivan on its website on April 10.)
WILMINGTON, Del. — Along nearly 460 miles of commuter rail lines between Richmond, Va., and New London, Conn., there is one major gap – the 20 miles between Perryville, Md., and Newark.
Maryland and Delaware officials are now looking to close that gap.
Today, the Cecil County Office of Planning, Zoning and Parks will hold a public workshop in Elkton to take comments for a study that will examine the feasibility of extending Maryland commuter rail from Perryville to Newark.
It could mean that commuter trains from Philadelphia and Baltimore will one day meet and exchange passengers at stations in Delaware.
But planners emphasize that the new rail line is a long-term goal.
“Right now, frankly, it doesn’t look like it will happen any time soon,” Anthony DiGiacomo, principal planner with Cecil County, said.
State governments in both Maryland and Delaware are struggling with budget deficits and SEPTA, the regional rail system in Philadelphia, recently announced it would be increasing fares and cutting back on service.
However, SEPTA rail service from Newark to Philadelphia has been growing in ridership over the past five years, according to the Delaware Department of Transportation.
In 2001, the SEPTA line from Delaware carried more than 725,000 riders, up from 471,000 in 1997.
The state also is studying the feasibility of restarting a Wilmington-to-Dover rail line.
DiGiacomo said it is important to plan for anticipated growth now, years or decades in advance, rather than wait for problems to arise.
Increased rail service would take drivers off I-95 and reduce congestion and pollution, he said. Track improvements would also help commerce because it would free up track space for freight trains, he said.
Today’s meeting will be 4 to 10 p.m. at the Cecil County Commissioners Chamber, 107 North St., Elkton.
Amtrak currently provides service along the Northeast corridor and links Wilmington with Baltimore and other cities. However, the addition of commuter rail would increase the choices for passengers and significantly reduce the price, according to DiGiacomo.
It costs between $45 and $95 to take Amtrak one way from Wilmington to Washington. Regional commuter rail service in Baltimore, called MARC or Maryland Area Rail Commuter, charges about $9 from Perryville, Md., to Washington.
DiGiacomo said the study of Perryville to Newark rail service will take a more detailed look at potential ridership numbers and financial questions over the next year.
Raymond Miller, executive director of the Delaware Transit Corp. said Delaware is interested in having Maryland commuter rail service extend to Delaware.
DiGiacomo said the feasibility study should be completed by next April.
If the study is favorable to rail service and approved, new track work would likely be necessary, meaning the service would not begin until 2020 or 2025, he said. A rail link between Elkton and Newark, however, could occur much sooner, he said.