A new train station, known officially as the Claymont Regional Transportation Center (CRTC), the first phase in a major redevelopment project in the northern Delaware town, is currently taking shape with plans to open in 2023, according to Railway Technology.
John Sission, CEO of Delaware Transit Corp., told the Delaware News Journal in Wilmington that the construction effort is on schedule. The station's parking structure has been completed, and the stair towers are going up, he said.
One of the major aesthetic touches to the CRTC is a walking bridge that will connect the opposite sides of the tracks. Work on that structure is getting under way this month.
"With the growth of Claymont and the influx of residents, we realized that the substandard station needed to be improved," said Brett Saddler, executive director of Claymont Renaissance Development Corp.
Old Train Station Proving to Be Substandard
The existing Claymont station serves about 1,200 weekday commuter rail riders, but its century-old structures are deteriorating and not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Claymont officials said.
It is the northernmost stop in Delaware with commuter rail linkages to Philadelphia and Wilmington along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor (NEC).
The aging station has been served by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's (SEPTA) Wilmington/Newark Regional Rail Line since 1991.
Railway Technology noted Oct. 10 that the old station's limitations, and past issues, include:
- Its low-level platforms and canted tracks that make it difficult for passengers to board and alight from a train.
- A narrow pedestrian tunnel beneath the NEC is prone to flooding risks due to the Claymont area's high-water table.
- Train services at the station were suspended between 1982 and 1990, due to funding issues.
- The Claymont depot was destroyed in an accidental fire in the late 1980s, and operations were not restarted until 1991.
- It also has inadequate parking lots and pedestrian lighting, and limited bike lockers.
The Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) and Claymont Renaissance Development Corporation (CRDC) conducted a comprehensive study in 2008 and recommended significant upgrades to the station infrastructure to reduce further passenger congestion.
New Station to Be Modern in Every Way
The CRTC project in Claymont is being constructed on a part of the former Evraz Steel site.
The rebuilt transportation facility, complete with a distinctive Victorian brick facade, will have more parking and meet all ADA requirements. It is being built between I-495 and the Pennsylvania state line along the railroad trucks just east of U.S. Highway 13, a few hundred feet north of the current station.
Designed to be a multi-modal transportation center, the CRTC will feature two, 630-ft. high-level platforms with canopies, Railway Technology reported.
It also will have better accessibility compared to the old station. For instance, a new roadway, with a bus loop and layover areas with recharging stations for electric buses, is being paved from U.S. 13.
Other CRTC plans call for:
- A new trail connection to the I-495 pedestrian bridge as well as a covered pedestrian bridge with elevators and stairs over the NEC tracks.
- The parking areas will include structured and surface parking to accommodate approximately 830 vehicles.
- New auxiliary lanes, traffic signals, a roundabout, and sidewalks will also be installed to improve access and reduce congestion.
- Pieces of public art, including a 20-ft. holographic sculpture of a phoenix, paying homage to the former Phoenix Steel Mill that once occupied the space, and symbolizing Claymont rising from the ashes, are planned to adorn the new station.
The CRTC's construction will cost $84 million, with the state of Delaware providing more than $16 million, and the federal government covering the rest. The land for the train station and future developments nearby was donated by a local commercial development corporation, the News Journal reported.
Wagman Heavy Civil, a construction company based in Petersburg, Va., was awarded the contract for the design and construction of the CRTC in January 2019. Aiding the contractor is Cockeysville, Md.-based Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson (JMT), an architecture and design firm. JMT is providing both design and engineering services for the new project.
Ambitious Plans in Claymont's Future
Within the next decade, the 251 acres of land surrounding the new station is set to house a 3.3 million-sq.-ft. mixed-use development that will include seven office buildings, three industrial buildings, six retail buildings, 1,207 homes, and, potentially, a park along the Delaware River, in a development called First State Crossing.
The Wilmington News Journal noted that the former Claymont train station infrastructure will remain intact and is slated to be used as a trailhead for the incoming riverfront park, one of the hallmarks of the development.
According to Saddler, the project is moving out of the design phase and into the construction phase, as exploratory plans for new office buildings have been sent to and approved by New Castle County.
"We are your first impression coming into Delaware from the north," Saddler told the newspaper. "Millions of people pass through Claymont every year. We've always known that our location was going to be one of the keys to our success, so we are creating a vibrant community, and an economically healthy community which will benefit all of our fellow residents."
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