$4 Million to Combat Traffic Announced, Senators Carper and Biden Announce Transportation Grant to Implement New System

WILMINGTON, DE – Delaware’s Department of Transportation received a $4 million dollar federal grant to implement Delaware’s Integrated Transportation Management System (ITMS). The grant represents a $3 million dollar increase in funding from the federal level from last year. Delaware’s traffic problems have grown in recent years, snarling traffic in metropolitan areas and increasing time lost commuting. ITMS targets 250 miles of the most heavily trafficked roads and installs electronic detection systems, video monitoring, automated interface to police and fire services and many other management and support systems. Through the various facets of the program, the Department of Transportation will be able to better identify problem spots and solutions for traffic problems in general. The program will improve quality of life, decrease congestion, and improve traffic flow for all Delawareans. “This funding will continue to help the Department of Transportation improve everyone’s life by decreasing the amount of time spent fighting traffic,” said Senator Carper. “This program eliminates the need to build unwarranted roads by addressing traffic problems where they exist now, instead of creating more roads for the problems to grow on.” “Every one of us have had the torturous experience of being caught in a traffic system that is out of sync- stopping at one red light only to start-up and stop again at each consecutive light,” said Biden. “Not only can this be incredibly frustrating, it wastes time and gasoline and eventually takes a toll on our cars and the quality of our air. With the integration of this new technology, we will be better equipped to deal with, and in many cases prevent problems that cause congestion.” Senators Biden and Carper also announced today $11 million in federal appropriations for transit improvements in New Castle, $750,000 for the Jobs Access and Reverse Commute Grant program, $4 million for the Wilmington Trolley Connector Project and $100,000 for Claymont Economic Development.