Claymont Transportation Center Wins Award
We are thrilled to share that the new Claymont Transportation Center won the American Transportation Award.
The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC) are excited to announce the Harris B. McDowell, III Transportation Center in Claymont, Delaware won the best Quality of Life/Community Development Award – medium size project for the NASTO Region at the Regional 2024 America’s Transportation Awards on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. The project was one of 106 nominations submitted by 39 Departments of Transportation.
The new transportation center opened on December 4, 2023. It boasts over 800 parking spaces including 13 EV charging stations, two ADA-compliant high-level covered platforms with windscreens, benches and USB charging ports, bicycle racks and repair stations, real-time passenger information displays, and vending machines. It includes all the amenities DART and SEPTA riders could need.
Originally introduced into commuter rail services in 1980, the old Claymont Train Station struggled with outdated facilities, a flood-prone tunnel, and an inaccessible platform on a curved portion of track.
In 2016, Delaware’s Congressional Delegation of U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and then-Congressman John Carney helped secure a $10 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the construction of the station.
“We are ecstatic the project is receiving the recognition it deserves. It was an incredibly complex project many years in the making, that involved hundreds of people from multiple agencies all with one goal – providing Claymont with a first-class transportation center that we can all be proud of,” said Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski.
John Sisson, CEO of the Delaware Transit Corporation added, “Anyone who ever used the former Claymont Station can share how challenging it was to catch a train. The new design focuses on the user, making their public transit experience easier and more convenient. This award highlights everyone’s hard work and dedication. Thank you!”
Eight projects from Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey won top prizes today. Projects are nominated in four categories: Quality of Life/Community Development; Operations Excellence; Best Use of Technology & Innovation; and Safety. They highlight transportation’s crucial role for every person in every community, regardless of their mode of travel.
Following the NASTO regional competition, the “Top 12” nationwide finalists will be selected and then compete for the two 2024 America’s Transportation Awards national prizes. The Grand Prize will be chosen by an independent panel of judges, while the People’s Choice Award will go to the project with the most online votes from the public. Both winners will receive $10,000 each for a charity or transportation-related scholarship.