Claymont Regional Transportation Center (CRTC), a new Claymont transit station, replaced the ageing smaller Claymont rail station to offer an innovative, state-of-the-art regional transit centre in Claymont, along Northeast Corridor (NEC) in New Castle County, Delaware, US.
It serves as a significant stop on the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Wilmington / Newark Regional Rail Line, offering connections to Philadelphia and other destinations.
Recommended White Papers
Recommended Buyers Guides
The project was developed by the Delaware Department of Transportation and Amtrak, the national passenger railroad company of the US, with an investment of $90m.
The new station commenced operations in November 2023. During the opening ceremony, the CRTC was renamed as the Harris B McDowell, III Transportation Center. It made public transit an easy and convenient choice.
Location of CRTC
The new station is located north of the older station, on a portion of the former Evraz Steel site in Claymont, Delaware. It has been integrated with the multi-purpose redevelopment of the former steel site.
Claymont station history
The old Claymont railway station was served by SEPTA’s Wilmington / Newark Line from 1991, until it ceased operations.
Train services at the station were suspended between 1982 and 1990, mainly due to funding issues. The Claymont station building was destroyed in a fire accident in the late 1980s, but operations were restarted in 1991.
The station did not comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. It also had inadequate parking areas, insufficient pedestrian lighting, and limited bike lockers.
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 alleviate passenger congestion.
Claymont Regional Transportation Center details
The Harris B McDowell, III Transportation Center is a multi-modal first-class transportation centre, whose design was inspired by the historical features of the Claymont area, including the project site.
The centre serves SEPTA trains, Delaware Transit (DART), and SEPTA bus services.
The transportation centre features two 630ft (192.02m) high-level platforms showcasing landscaping and public art. It includes a plaza with ticketing and waiting areas, restrooms, canopies, wind screens, benches, real-time passenger information displays, vending machines and USB charging ports.
Additionally, there are bicycle racks and repair stations. The platforms have been designed to comply with ADA standards.
Construction details of new CRTC
The new railway station has better accessibility compared to the old station. A new roadway, with a bus loop and layover areas including recharging stations for electric buses, was built from US 13 (Philadelphia Pike).
A new trail connection has been constructed to the I-495 pedestrian bridge. A covered pedestrian bridge with elevators and stairs, built over the NEC tracks, offers views of Philadelphia Pike and the Delaware River.
The parking areas include at-grade parking, a structured and surface three-tier parking garage to accommodate approximately 870 vehicles, and 13 electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations.
New auxiliary lanes, traffic signals, a roundabout, sidewalks and multi-use path have also been constructed to improve access and reduce congestion for transit buses, motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
The project also offers provisions for future transit-oriented development (TOD) in the remaining portion of the site.
Financing details
The US Department of Transportation provided grants worth $10m for the project under the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grant programme, which provides grants to surface transportation projects.
TIGER project benefits
The new roadway enhances multi-modal access to the SEPTA rail with improved pedestrian amenities and bus facilities.
The regional transportation centre provides a safe and comfortable walking and bicycling environment. It improves passenger safety and convenience, as well as accessibility to the Claymont station and regional rail services.
Contractors involved
Wagman Heavy Civil, a US-based construction company, was awarded the contract for the design and construction of the new Claymont rail station in January 2019.
Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson (JMT), an architecture and design company, was contracted to assist Wagman in providing architectural and interior design, along with civil and site engineering services for the new Claymont station.
LS3P, an architecture and planning services provider, provided preliminary architecture services for the project.
