Matthew Lichtenstein

The council meeting covered several operational and community engagement topics. Key agenda items included staff changes within the council and the State Police representation, the formation of an infrastructure grant working group, and a presentation on an upcoming traffic safety summit focused on multimodal roundabouts. Additionally, members were briefed on the annual legislative bike ride, which promotes bicycle awareness and safety, with discussions regarding commemorative jersey designs to honor the event's long-standing sponsor.

The Council discussed the department's mission and safe system approach, current traffic safety statistics, and the aviation program's goals and responsibilities. The meeting covered updates on system plan progress, including operations estimates and airport expansion alternatives. Additionally, the Council addressed the airport land use compatibility system, airport capital project submissions, the internship program, and potential future aviation conferences.

The meeting covered the review of the minutes from December 3rd, 2025, and the election of the 2026 chair and vice chair, with Scott Hoffman elected chair and Mike Wagner elected vice chair. A significant discussion focused on updates regarding the Town of Clayton's rail trail project, which is in the design phase for connecting existing pathways and aims to utilize an 18-acre parcel from the railroad, with plans for further extension towards Eastern Maryland. Additionally, the council addressed an addendum to the Cycling Infrastructure Innovation Grant application regarding clarifying rightaways, and subsequently moved to vote on approving this language to move forward with advertising the 2026 grant cycle.

The meeting began with welcomes and introductions of attendees present at the DelDot Administrative Building and those joining online. A presentation covered the mission, goals (including safety, security, and economic vitality), and responsibilities of the Delaware Aeronautics office, such as conducting statewide system planning projects and providing infrastructure funding. An overview of Delaware's aviation system, detailing the ten public use facilities (three publicly owned and six privately owned), was provided. The council's role, mandated by state law, includes supporting department planning and recommending improvements to aviation facilities and programs. Attendees reviewed the minutes from the October 22nd, 2025 meeting, which included updates on project costs, the state funding program for 2026-2027, updates from Delaware State University on advanced air mobility, and the status of the statewide aviation system plan update. Under new business, an update was given on the state funding program, confirming the selection of an end-of-runway tree clearing project at Corman Airport for funding and outlining a proposed cycle change to align with the FAA's schedule (application period shifting to March). Additionally, research findings on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and the proposed FAA Part 108 rule for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations were presented, clarifying the limits of state and local government authority versus the FAA's jurisdiction over aviation safety and airspace.

This document outlines a draft Capital Transportation Program for fiscal years 2027 to 2032. It details a prioritized list of transportation infrastructure projects across New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties, categorized by their development phase including project development, preliminary engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and construction. The program incorporates a revised project prioritization method approved in 2025 and includes newly added projects and recent changes from a September 2025 meeting, focusing on improving regional transportation infrastructure.