Having some experience with the Amtrak station in Wilmington, Delaware, the recent renovation is welcome. It's important for all train stations to be fully ADA-accessible. Disabled and elderly...
Having some experience with the Amtrak station in Wilmington, Delaware, the recent renovation is welcome. It's important for all train stations to be fully ADA-accessible. Disabled and elderly people are the ones who can benefit from public transit the most, so it's critical that our infrastructure supports them. The $11.6 million allocated toward these improvements in Wilmington is money well-spent.
The Wilmington Station is a minor stop along Amtrak's highly trafficked Northeast Corridor route in the northeastern US. It stands between Philadelphia and Baltimore and offers some regional transportation connections to other communities in Delaware (DART) and Pennsylvania (SEPTA).
Amtrak is excited to announce that renovations to fully repair, modernize, and improve accessibility at Amtrak’s Wilmington, Delaware, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Railroad Station, are now complete. Major updates included adding two new escalators and interior stairs and improving station accessibility.
In fiscal year 2023, Amtrak served more than 600,000 customers at the Wilmington Station, which is ranked as the 20th busiest station on the Amtrak network. Originally built in 1908, the station was rededicated as the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station in Spring 2011 after undergoing a major restoration.
Amtrak has invested nearly $800 million since 2011 in accessibility upgrades and improvement projects at 119 stations across Amtrak’s national network to ensure a safe, efficient, and comfortable travel experience for all customers including those with disabilities. The ADA related improvements include repairs and upgrades to platforms, ramps and sidewalks, renovations to entranceways and restrooms, with 20 stations brought into ADA compliance in fiscal year 2023. Another 35 stations are targeted to be brought into ADA compliance in fiscal year 2024 at a forecasted investment of $195 million.
Amtrak is advancing 143 station designs and 39 station construction projects as part of an ongoing commitment to provide 100% accessibility at all stations, where Amtrak is responsible, by 2029.
As part of the next phase of the Wilmington Station project, additional repair and improvement work is planned for the station and adjacent rail beds over the coming years. This project also aligns with other station upgrades on the Northeast Corridor, including boarding platform improvements nearing completion in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.
The ADA renovations the Biden administration is working on completing are exciting not only because they improve equity and access to transportation, but also because in many cases they have direct benefits to non-disabled passengers too. For example, level boarding makes it possible for wheelchair, walker, and stroller users to easily board trains, but also dramatically improves boarding and alighting times. This ultimately improves efficiency for everyone and allows transit agencies to run trains with higher frequency, because they're spending less time dwelling unnecessarily at any particular station.
Having some experience with the Amtrak station in Wilmington, Delaware, the recent renovation is welcome. It's important for all train stations to be fully ADA-accessible. Disabled and elderly people are the ones who can benefit from public transit the most, so it's critical that our infrastructure supports them. The $11.6 million allocated toward these improvements in Wilmington is money well-spent.
The Wilmington Station is a minor stop along Amtrak's highly trafficked Northeast Corridor route in the northeastern US. It stands between Philadelphia and Baltimore and offers some regional transportation connections to other communities in Delaware (DART) and Pennsylvania (SEPTA).
The ADA renovations the Biden administration is working on completing are exciting not only because they improve equity and access to transportation, but also because in many cases they have direct benefits to non-disabled passengers too. For example, level boarding makes it possible for wheelchair, walker, and stroller users to easily board trains, but also dramatically improves boarding and alighting times. This ultimately improves efficiency for everyone and allows transit agencies to run trains with higher frequency, because they're spending less time dwelling unnecessarily at any particular station.