The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has released its latest update for the mobile app.

The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has enhanced the DMV practice test now includes the ability to take the practice test in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. This improvement helps more Delaware residents better prepare for driver’s license exams. The list of 20 practice questions will randomly change each time ensuring that each user covers the range of information required to successfully pass the written test.

In addition, DelDOT has enhanced the usability of the “Report an Issue” feature for reporting streetlight issues. Now, suggested streetlights near the user’s location will be presented, narrowing the results for selection for submission. Users will still have the option to submit a location for a specific streetlight issue if it is not in their immediate vicinity.

Lastly, the DelDOT Travel Advisory Map has been updated to provide the user the ability to click on the specific listed advisories/closures/restrictions that they may be interested in which will take the user to the location on the map versus searching for it in the conclave of dots in the previous version of the Travel Advisory Map.

The DelDOT App is available for Apple & Android smart phones and tablets, and can be downloaded free, search for “DelDOT” at the Apple and Google Play stores.

Visit DelDOT and DMV’s websites at https://www.deldot.gov/and https://www.dmv.de.gov/

Delaware’s approval allows FirstNet to move forward with plan to build communications network for emergency personnel

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney signed a letter on Friday opting into a federal First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) plan to build a wireless broadband network intended to improve communications for first responders across the State of Delaware.

The FirstNet plan would allow Delaware police agencies, fire and EMS responders to communicate more effectively by prioritizing their cellular phone calls and data requests on the network. Governor Carney’s decision to opt-in allows FirstNet to move forward in building out a broadband network that, if implemented, would allow for efficient communications among emergency responders.

“Our first responders need access to state-of-the-art technology to communicate and respond effectively during emergency situations,” said Governor Carney. “This is only a first step, but this plan has real potential to prioritize communications among law enforcement agencies, fire and EMS personnel, and help our first responders protect the lives of Delawareans across our state.”

“During a critical incident or disaster, cellular communications are of paramount importance to our first responders,” said Robert Coupe, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security. “We are excited by the opportunity presented by this FirstNet plan, which would ensure that first responders have the priority access they need to deliver emergency services to the citizens of Delaware.”

“In addition to the potential benefits opting in to FirstNet can provide to our public safety personnel, this decision also helps us to advance our priority of expanding broadband options in rural, underserved areas of our state,” said James Collins, Chief Information Officer at the Delaware Department of Technology and Information.

FirstNet is an independent authority within the U.S. Department of Commerce. Authorized by Congress in 2012, its mission is to develop, build and operate the first nationwide, high-speed, broadband network that equips first responders to save lives and protect U.S. communities. FirstNet will build, operate and maintain a secure wireless broadband communications network at no cost to the state.

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The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has announced several initiatives to streamline processes and contribute to fostering economic growth across the state.

“During my statewide business roundtable meetings, I asked business owners, “What can the state do better to help our businesses grow?” I received great feedback and I’m glad that we are already making changes and improvements based on that feedback. I appreciate DelDOT moving quickly to identify solutions that will help our business community thrive,” said Governor John Carney.

“Following Governor Carney’s request, DelDOT has taken a comprehensive look at how we can improve and in some instances expedite our processes to ensure we are not delaying economic development projects. I believe the actions we’ve outlined and committed to are a good step in assisting this effort,” said Secretary of Transportation Jennifer Cohan.

“These are encouraging steps forward,” said State House Minority Leader Danny Short, R-Seaford. “At the business forum we held at the Seaford Library earlier this year, many business owners expressed frustration in their dealings with DelDOT. These policy changes are a credit to Sec. Cohan and her agency. It demonstrates a good faith effort to take legitimate criticisms to heart and make needed enhancements. It is my hope they will continue this work, constantly reassessing the agency’s operations with an eye towards improvement.”

“The steps the Governor and DelDOT have taken to listen to the business community, and more importantly act on their comments is greatly appreciated!” Said State Representative S. Quinton “Quinn” Johnson, D-Middletown. “This is how our government and private sector should work together. There are reasons a process of approval is needed, however that process can at times be long and actually deter economic growth. I am thankful the Governor and DelDOT have come up with initiatives that will help speed up the process and further enhance economic development in the State. Economic development means jobs for Delawareans!”

“Jen Cohan and her leadership team have been outstanding in reaching out to the engineering community to improve the overall review process which is so critical for economic development within our state,” added Mike Riemann, President of ACEC Delaware.

The following are steps DelDOT has and will be implementing to promote economic development throughout the state:

Shorten DelDOT’s Review Time: 44 Days to 31 Days
Currently, the Department has a performance measure that staff must review and provide comments on development plans within 44 days of receipt. Understanding the role DelDOT has in the success of economic development in Delaware, we have shortened development plan review time to 31 days. In addition, DelDOT is working with the engineering community toward limiting the number of times a plan must be reviewed by staff, with the goal that approval will be given after no more than two reviews. In order to accomplish this, staff will require an in-person meeting with the developer and engineer after the first review if comments and outstanding items are present.

Expedite Small Business and Redevelopment Plans
The Letter of No Contention (LONC) approval process was created to process commercial projects that currently have an existing entrance in an expedited manner, rather than going through the formal process. The goal of this process is to grant approval within three weeks, and DelDOT has implemented this change effective immediately. DelDOT has been working with the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) and other stakeholders to expand the scope of those eligible for a LONC.

Expedited Review Team for Economic Development Projects
DelDOT has created and implemented the Expedited Review Team to work with the local land use agencies to identify criteria to use to expedite the approval processes for projects that will have a large economic impact to the state.

Helping Municipalities and Counties Identify Economic Development Areas
In the next year, DelDOT, in conjunction with the Office of Statewide Planning and the League of Local Governments and county governments, will continue to identify growth areas throughout the state where we can attract businesses to relocate and expand. This can be done through the creation of Transportation Improvement Districts (TIDs) where the DelDOT and the Town or County are willing to make infrastructure investments in order to spark economic development growth. DelDOT has had success with the creation of a TID in southern New Castle County and the State is currently working with Sussex County on the development of the Henlopen TID.

(DOVER, Del.—Dec. 20, 2017)—The five museums of the State of Delaware will be sponsoring seven special events during the month of January 2018. A full schedule is included below. All programs are free and open to the public.

Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs special programs, January 2018

Monday, Jan. 1, 2018
New Year’s Day. All museums of the State of Delaware (the John Dickinson Plantation, the Johnson Victrola Museum, the New Castle Court House Museum, The Old State House and the Zwaanendael Museum) will be closed. 302-744-5054.

Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018
“The Caroline.” Guided tours highlight Eldridge Reeves Johnson’s beloved yacht The Caroline including a song written and recorded about the vessel played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. First Saturday in the First State program. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262.

Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018
“Our Delegates.” Guided tours examine Delaware’s delegates to the Second Continental Congress which adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. First Saturday in the First State program. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.

Friday, Jan. 12, 2018
Concert by Sol Knopf. Folk music. Presented in partnership with the Delaware Friends of Folk and the First State Heritage Park. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 7:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.

Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018
“Stories of African-American History From St. Jones Neck.” Workshop utilizes primary-source materials including manumission documents, bills of sales and family information to illustrate the lives of free and enslaved African-Americans who lived on the John Dickinson Plantation. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Program 10 a.m.–Noon. Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018
“Buccaneers in the Bay.” Lecture by historic-site interpreter Kaitlyn Dykes on the pirates of Lewes, Del. Part three of “Global to Local: International Events and the First State,” a five-part series exploring how world events impacted Delaware’s history. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Program at 2 p.m. on the museum’s 2nd floor (entry via staircase; no elevator). Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Free admission but, due to space restrictions, reservations for the lecture are required by calling 302-645-1148 no later than Jan. 12, 2018.

Monday, Jan. 15, 2018
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The following museums of the State of Delaware will be open: The Johnson Victrola Museum and The Old State House, open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. The following museums will be closed: The John Dickinson Plantation, the New Castle Court House Museum and the Zwaanendael Museum). 302-744-5054.

Monday, Jan. 15, 2018
“Courage and Freedom.” In commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, guided tours will focus on three compelling stories of courageous Delawareans whose fight for freedom and equality began at The Old State House. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.

Monday, Jan. 15, 2018
“The Struggle.” In commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, guided tours focus on African-American vocalists and Civil Rights activists Paul Robeson and Marian Anderson, accompanied by 78-rpm recordings of those artists played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262.

Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018
CANCELLED: Delaware State Review Board for Historic Preservation meeting. Agenda TBA. The Delaware Room, Delaware Public Archives, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dover. 10 a.m.–Noon. 302-736-7417. NOTE: Meeting cancelled. Next meeting to take place on April 18, 2018.

Exhibits and displays, January 2018
In addition to special programming, the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is sponsoring the following exhibits and displays. Admission is free and open to the public:

Ongoing
“Discovering Delaware’s Maritime Past.” Display explores the DeBraak, a shipwrecked 18th-century British warship, including a photo of the hull recovery, reproductions of items aboard ship and a model of the vessel. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Nov. 1–March 31: Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Oct. 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-645-1148.

Ongoing
“Drawing America to Victory: The Persuasive Power of the Arts in World War I.” Online exhibit revolves around 27 World War I posters from the collections of the State of Delaware.

Ongoing
“Five Stories.” Display explores the varied lives of people who lived on the plantation including Dickinson family members, tenant farmers, tradesmen, free blacks, indentured servants and enslaved individuals. John Dickinson Plantation Welcome Center, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Oct. 1–March 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Sept. 30: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Ongoing
“Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania.” Online exhibit explores the life of Founding Father John Dickinson on the 250th anniversary of the publication of his essays that described Colonial American grievances with the British government.

Ongoing
“New Castle: Three Forts, One Community.” Exhibit examines the 17th-century struggle for control of New Castle by the Dutch, Swedes and English, and the strongholds that they built to maintain their power. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-323-4453.

Ongoing
“The Old State House: A True Restoration 1976-2016.” Display explores preservation work that has been conducted since Delaware’s first state capitol building was restored to its original appearance in 1976. From the collections of the State of Delaware. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Mon.–Sat., 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.

Ongoing
“Rose Color to Gold to Glowing Red: Orville and Ethel Peets in Paris 1913-1914.” Exhibit featuring paintings and painting materials used by the noted Delaware artists Orville Houghton Peets and Ethel Canby Peets. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Nov. 1–March 31: Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Oct. 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-645-1148.

Ongoing
Sculpture by Charles Parks. Display of works by the noted Wilmington artist featuring historical and political figures including a Minute Man, and presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and George W. Bush. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-323-4453.

Ongoing
“A Seaborne Citizenry: The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World.” Exhibit utilizes artifacts recovered from His Majesty’s Sloop of War DeBraak, a British warship that sank off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798, to tell the story of the vessel, its crew and the historical context within which it operated in the Atlantic World of the late 18th century. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Nov. 1–March 31: Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Oct. 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-645-1148.

Ongoing
“Simple Machines.” Exhibit demonstrating the six “simple machines”—incline ramp, screw, wedge, pulley, lever and wheel—that constitute the elementary building blocks of which many more-complicated machines are composed. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Oct. 1–March 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Sept. 30: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the five museums of the State of Delaware—the John Dickinson Plantation, the Johnson Victrola Museum, the New Castle Court House Museum, The Old State House and the Zwaanendael Museum—tell the story of the First State’s contributions to the history and culture of the United States. Through tours, exhibits, school programs and hands-on activities, the museums shine a spotlight on Delaware’s unique history and the diverse people who came to live there. The museums are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The New Castle Court House Museum and the John Dickinson Plantation are partner sites of the First State National Historical Park. The Old State House is located on the Dover Green, another partner site of the park.

Go to the following for a comprehensive, long-term calendar of division-sponsored events.

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Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-739-7787
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov

UPDATED: Due to inclement weather, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that the patching on I-95 and I-495 northbound has been canceled for this weekend. A new date will be announced later in January 2018.

PREVIOUS RELEASE: The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that lanes will be closed for patching beginning at 9 p.m. on Friday, December 15 until 5 a.m. on Monday, December 18, 2017. At all times, one lane will remain open to traffic. This work was previously scheduled to begin on Friday, December 11, however, it was postponed as a result of the snowy conditions.

This closure is necessary to patch the deteriorated concrete in the center lane of I-495 NB just past the split. Significant potholes have formed and  have elicited complaints from motorists. There is concern that these potholes could worsen over the winter with multiple freeze and thaw cycles. With colder temperatures approaching, multiple crews will be working this weekend to repair the worst potholes. Due to the potholes being in the center lane, it is necessary to close two lanes for the safety of the workers.

WHERE: I-95 northbound before the I-95 northbound/I-495 northbound spilt and I-495 northbound after the I-95/I-495 northbound split in Wilmington.