Page 41 - Guide to Greater Philadelphia

Clockwise from top right: Winterthur; Wilmington’s Amtrak station; Chase Bank; Wilmington storefronts; Riverfront Market; the Christiana Riverwalk; the University of Delaware campus; and the local color of Wilmington.
to many other spots in the county. The Delaware Transit Corporation operates DART, which provides bus service and commuter rail services to Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
Both passenger and freight rail lines run through the county. As a major stop along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, Wilmington sees about 80 trains every workday, including both long-distance and commuter trains. Trains bound for Chicago and points as far south as Florida also go through Wilmington. Commuter rail trains and buses, linking Wilmington with other parts of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, also stop at this station, now named the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station in honor of one of its best customers: former senator and vice president Joe Biden, who rode the train from Wilmington to Washington daily for decades.
As for air travel, New Castle County has
ready access to several airports. The Philadelphia International Airport is about a 30-minute drive from many points in the county, and the nearby New Castle/ Wilmington Airport can accommodate business jets on its three major runways.
The Port of Wilmington really is the Top Banana when it comes to imports of fresh fruits. More bananas arrive in Wilmington than at any other port in this country, along with other fruits and fruit-juice
concentrates. One of the largest cold-storage ware- houses in the country accommodates these imports before they are loaded onto rail cars for delivery across the country. The port is also an export center, especially for businesses in the region.
The port is heralded as an economic engine for all of Delaware, accounting for more than $300 million in revenue annually and $34 million in tax revenue for the region. The port provides more than 4,300 jobs, and its capacity and location often attract new business to the area.
Although not as large a presence as it once was, DuPont Chemicals is still a major industry in Delaware and New Castle County, with its world headquarters in Wilmington. The biopharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca and the biotechnology company Incyte are also headquartered in the Wilmington area. Because of its business-friendly climate, New Castle County became a hub for banks and finance companies, particularly those with large credit-card operations.
The business-friendly culture and regulations are just one reason Delaware lures new businesses and industry. Another is its education system. Five of the state’s eight institutions of higher education are in New Castle County, led by the 20,000-student University
of Delaware. Delaware Technical Community College,
Goldey-Beacom College, Wesley College, Wilmington University and Delaware College of Art and Design are also located in New Castle County.
The county has 126 public schools that serve more than 77,000 students, as well as 110 private schools with 22,000 students. (Many of the private schools are pre-kindergarten and early learning centers.) The state’s four-year high school graduation rate tops 84 percent (above the national average), with New Castle schools typically graduating a higher percentage of students than the state average.
Many employers work with schools and districts to provide internships, mentors and advice on career paths that will take students through the 21st century.
New Castle County then brings a wealth of benefits to the Philadelphia metropolitan area, adding to its eco- nomic, cultural and humanitarian well-being now and in the future. Likewise, New Castle draws some of its strengths from its proximity to the City of Philadelphia. It’s a winning relationship for all - New Castle County, the City of Philadelphia, and the 11-county community of northern Delaware, southern New Jersey and south- eastern Pennsylvania overall.
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