Crews recently started construction on the second phase of the Lewes Transit Center, in which they’re building a visitors center with restrooms and installing a large canopy with overhead digital displays.
Delaware Transit Corporation spokeswoman Julie Theyerl says the 170-foot-long canopy will be finished just before the beach bus service starts running in May. The rest will be completed over the summer.
Once phase II is complete, there will be more amenities for people at the Lewes Park & Ride. But DART First State, part of the Delaware Transit Corporation, has a bigger goal. At the end of summer 2018, DART plans to transition its beach bus fleet to a year-round service.
“There’s a need to get people to work, to medical facilities,” Theyerl said. “And with the Lewes Transit Center and maintenance facility it will help operational efficiencies to provide that year-round service."
Delaware Transit Corporation saw a 21 percent increase in ridership on its beach bus fleet this past summer. Theyerl says they attribute that to people using the Lewes Park & Ride and transit center that opened this past summer.
“Opening up the new park and ride and the Lewes Transit Center was huge - because it’s more north and it’s just before a lot of the congestion, where we currently have the Rehoboth park and ride, but that’s right in the midst of congestion,” Theyerl said.
Phase II of the Lewes Park & Ride facility cost about $1 million, Theryl said.
A maintenance facility for the fleet will be completed in 2019.
