LEWES, Del. - There's a new way to get to Delaware's beaches, and state officials say it's hassle free.
The Lewes Transit Center had its ribbon cutting Friday morning. Located just south of the Five Points intersection, the center has 248 free parking spots, benches that double as solar-powered charging stations, bike racks, and electric car charging ports as well. There is also a ticket booth to sell a newly available seven-day pass.
“The Lewes Transit Center is a much needed addition to our transportation system," says DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan. "It will provide a convenient hub for improved transit service, connecting local passengers with job opportunities, recreational activities, medical appointments, shopping, and more throughout the county.”
With the new center comes extended bus routes as well, with seven bus routes connecting the Lewes Transit Center to Rehoboth Beach, Long Neck, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, South Bethany, Fenwick Island, and Ocean City, MD. While weekend service started May 6th, seven day a week service begins Monday May 22nd. The buses will run from approximately 7 AM to 2 AM, and all buses are air-conditioned, ADA accessible and equipped with bike racks.
One of the people eager to use the transit center is Lloyd Schmitz, who is blind and lives in Lewes. He says having more bus service within walking distance makes a huge difference for he and his seeing eye dog Sophie.
"It gives me the ability to come and go as I want. I don't have to schedule my trips and utilize the paratransit service that DART offers," he says. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time."
The buses will travel in the Buses Only lane between the two Park & Rides, passing by the heavy traffic. Officials say having a free park & ride will get more cars off the road as well, easing congestion.
"This is huge because it deals with everything from economic development to the environment-- making sure that we don't have traffic and pollution," says Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester. "It deals with attracting great businesses to our state [...] and helps with all the family fun activities."
DART says the buses will run every ten minutes, and real-time bus information is available on the DelDOT mobile app.
For more information on the buses, visit www.DartFirstState.com.
