With Wilmington to New Castle trail open, planners envision future bike connections

A newly opened bicycle and pedestrian path connecting Wilmington to New Castle has government officials planning new, no-cars-allowed paths linking population and employment centers in northern New Castle County.

A group of government officials, developers and planners gathered Thursday to announce funding for feasibility studies for two new paths that are envisioned as efficient commuter connections rather than just a path for a leisurely stroll.

The two paths will splinter from the new Jack A. Markell Trail, which allows bicyclists to get from the Wilmington Riverfront to New Castle in half an hour with minimal interference from automobiles.

Previously, such a direct connection required bicyclists to brave the shoulders of Rt. 9 next to freight trucks and cars just feet away. That 7.9 mile-connection was opened last month after more than a decade of planning and tens of millions of dollars in federal and local funding. 

"It cost a lot of money. It is important to squeeze every bit of value we can from it," said James Wilson, executive director of Bike Delaware.

He said that entails creating more links. On Thursday, his organization announced a $20,000 grant of state money to the city of Newport to study the potential for a trail to Newport. 

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The idea is to splinter from the Markell Trail on the Wilmington-side of the Christina River with a westward path along an Amtrak right of way into Newport.

For bicyclists coming from Wilmington, it would serve as an alternative to the shoulder of Maryland Avenue. There is currently no direct path to ride to Newport from New Castle that avoids the Del. 141 expressway. 

Much of the land that would serve as a potential trail is owned by Newport-based developer Harvey Hanna & Associates, which is embarking upon the redevelopment of the vacant General Motors Boxwood plant and has larger plans for the future of Newport.

Thomas Harvey said items like bike paths are part of the conversation with employers looking to locate in the area.

"These companies are demanding lifestyle amenities," he said. 

Delaware Greenways, a local trail advocacy and planning organization, on Thursday presented New Castle County with a $30,000 grant to fund a study for a path that would connect riders to employment centers in Christiana.

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The idea is to connect the Markell Trail to Commons Boulevard and eventually Churchman's Road south of Cavaliers Country Club and Christiana Hospital. The path would splinter from the Markell Trail near the tunnel under Interstate 295, run along a Delmarva Power right of way to Del. 141 and Commons Boulevard. 

The goal is to provide what planners refer to as "low stress" bike and pedestrian paths separated from the automobile-dominated roadways. 

The studies will outline if that is possible and give a rough estimate of cost. Wilson said such a study was recently completed for a path that would connect the Trolley Square-area of Wilmington up Augustine Cut-off to a series of trails north of the city. 

"Today we take walkable, bikeable Delaware into a new gear," said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. 

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The event also served as a outlet for the county to discuss its Connecting Communities initiative, which sets out series of pathway routes officials would like to plan and seeking funding partners for in the coming years. 

Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com. Follow @Ber_Xerxes on Twitter.