North New Castle News

New roads, schools, elected officials, construction and taxes make up much of what’s expected in 2020 in Newark, according to the Newark Post. 

Road reconstruction on Main Street in Newark is expected to be finished this summer and new projects involving reconstruction, widening, bike paths and walking paths are slated to begin on Elkton Road from Casho Mill Road to the Delaware-Maryland state line. 

More transportation projects for 2020 are the start of a bike and pedestrian bridge, which costs an estimated $2 million, over White Clay Creek beside Paper Mill Road in Newark, and improving the safety of an underpass on Casho Mill Road under a CSX rail line.

Potential educational developments for the new year include two buildings on the STAR Campus on the University of Delaware that will be completed. The Christina School District is asking for a local tax increase to pay for rising costs and teacher salaries, through a referendum vote potentially on June 9, after a similar referendum was voted down in 2019. 

Two charter schools in the Newark area, Las Americas ASPIRA Academy and Newark Charter School, are planning expansions. Las Americas ASPIRA, currently a K-8 school, is opening a high school. Newark Charter is planning to build on newly-acquired property in order to expand its enrollment. 

The Christina School Board will have an election for two of its seats in May and be looking for a new superintendent after current superintendent, Richard Gregg, resigns on June 30.

The electoral calendar for the upcoming year has April 14 circled for city council elections, then April 28 for the presidential primary and Delaware’s role in the potential Democratic Party nomination. The state primary elections will be held Sept. 15. The general election ranging from local to the White House will be Nov. 3. 

A seven-story hotel will be constructed, College Square Shopping Center will be redeveloped and townhouses and apartments will be added to the University of Delaware’s Dickinson dorms. 

The Newark Housing Authority is expected to continue working on developing the authority’s George Road Village property into a mixed-use property with more housing units, a new authority administration building, community space and retail spaces. 

The Rodney stormwater pond and park, which will have play areas, a fishing pier, green spaces, bike equipment and two pavilions is planned to open in the fall.

The Newark Post’s list of prospective important issues also includes city council and official efforts at expanding solar power usage and electric vehicle use for city buildings and the city vehicle fleet.