A likely expansion of passenger rail service to the University of Delaware inched closer last week when the state awarded its second contract to reconstruct the Newark Train Station.

Wilmington-based Bancroft Construction Company won the phase-2 contract with a $7.6 million bid – nearly double a state engineer's $3.8 million cost estimate.

With the award, Bancroft crews will construct a station building for waiting passengers that includes bathrooms and a ticket window. The work is expected to last 453 days, according to contract documents.

It is one part of a larger undertaking by the state and federal government to expand rail facilities and track capacity in Newark at a cost of $62.3 million.

The first phase of the project began in July and involves expanding the parking lot and rebuilding surrounding access roads. It should be complete early next year, according to DelDOT.

Currently, scheduling conflicts arise on the Newark tracks between SEPTA commuter trains and Norfolk Southern freight trains that are coming from or going to a nearby rail yard. The conflicts have limited plans for added commuter rail service in the area, according to DelDOT.

With rail capacity expanded when the project is complete in 2020, additional SEPTA trains from Philadelphia and MARC commuter trains from Maryland could be routed to the station, which serves the University of Delaware and the STAR Campus, transit officials say.

The project's planning process was delayed in past years due to concerns from Norfolk Southern, putting in jeopardy the availability of $10 million in federal grants. DelDOT officials have assured the public that the money will be spent before its 2018 expiration date. Construction will continue beyond it, according to DelDOT, until the project's scheduled completion date in 2020.

The DelDOT project manager in charge of the rebuild was not available for comment on Monday.

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The Newark train station project also is designed to revitalize the economy in the area around the property where a Chrysler manufacturing plant once sat, state officials say.

"This project represents an important part of our efforts to support the rebirth of the former Chrysler plant property," Gov. John Carney said in a July statement. "Having a modern rail facility in Newark is another great incentive for growing companies to choose the (University of Delaware) STAR Campus."

A separate massive, $60-million track project is ongoing between Wilmington and Newark to remove a rail bottleneck there by expanding the Northeast Corridor artery to three tracks from the current two.

Contact Karl Baker at kbaker@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2329. Follow him on Twitter @kbaker6.