As SEPTA service hangs in the balance, Delaware looks to build its own passenger rail line

Despite a last-minute move by Pennsylvania’s House to shore up SEPTA’s budget, the transit agency is still preparing to slash its Wilmington/Newark rail service unless state funding is secured by Aug. 14.

The looming cuts have sharpened interest in a proposed Delaware-controlled passenger rail line that could run from Wilmington and Newark to Salisbury and Berlin, Maryland. The state received a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to study the feasibility of the Diamond State Line in 2023. If built, it would be the state’s first major passenger rail expansion in decades and create a state-owned commuter service that Delaware would both operate and control.

Potentially serving communities like Middletown, Harrington, Seaford, Milford and Georgetown, the proposed Delaware-run rail line could improve access to jobs, health care, and education in rural and underserved areas, supporters argue.

State transportation officials emphasize that the project is still in its early planning stages and note that the federal review process has slowed due to staffing shortages. As a result, there is no clear timeline for when construction might begin. WILMAPCO, the regional planning agency leading the study, says the initiative must go through multiple rounds of federal review before moving to design or construction. Engineering work and regulatory approvals could take several years.

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SEPTA funding drama puts Delaware commuters in limbo

While Delaware pays millions each year to support SEPTA service to The First State, it lacks authority over operational decisions. With SEPTA facing a $213 million budget deficit, the future of commuter rail in northern Delaware hinges on an Aug. 12 vote in the Pennsylvania Senate.

If funding isn’t secured, SEPTA will move forward with service cuts already authorized by its board. These include reducing bus and regional rail service from Philadelphia to Newark by up to 20% and eliminating all trips after 9 p.m., beginning Aug. 24.

Thousands of daily SEPTA riders could soon lose affordable travel options between Delaware and Pennsylvania. Although Amtrak trains will continue running through Wilmington and Newark, they are typically more expensive and less frequent.

You can contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware’s rail future could shift as SEPTA faces Aug. 14 deadline