PROJECT

Pedestrian Bridge Project

The Newtown Creek Pedestrian Bridge Project aims to enhance connectivity and accessibility between Newtown Borough and Newtown Township by constructing a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge over Newtown Creek. This project will promote non-motorized transportation, improve access to recreational areas, and contribute to the revitalization of the Sycamore Street commercial district.
Brochure
The bridge would be approximately 120 ft. long and 8 ft. wide, with paved approaches on both sides

Overview

The Newtown Creek Pedestrian Bridge Project includes installation of a new bridge across Newtown Creek for pedestrians and bicycles, connecting Frost Lane in Newtown Borough with North Sycamore Street at Durham Road in Newtown Township.  The prefabricated bridge will be approximately 120 ft. long and 8 ft. wide, with paved approaches on both sides, and will be located next to the historic foundations of the Old Newtown Trolley Bridge.  Educational signage will illustrate the history of the original bridge and trolley line. 

The bridge will supply a missing link in the extensive trail systems of Newtown Township, Bucks County, and Southeastern Pennsylvania, enhancing access to recreational areas in both municipalities and beyond, for both residents and visitors.  By drawing attention to the historic bridge, the project will promote the role this area played in the history of transportation systems and commercial development of Bucks County.

The Newtown Creek Pedestrian Bridge will be built on the site of the Old Newtown Trolley Bridge

Community Support

Support for pedestrian/bicycle bridge crossings over Newtown Creek and better connections with the Newtown Trail has been building since the Newtown Creek Coalition hosted public “visioning sessions” in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.  Planning for the proposed bridge began in earnest in 2021 with the support of the governing bodies of both Newtown Borough and Newtown Township and the Bucks County Planning Commission.  Presentations by the NCC describing the project have been given several times for both municipalities and at meetings of local organizations, most recently in September 2023.  The NCC also sponsored several creek clean-ups to highlight the site and the project continues to receive positive coverage in both print and online media.

Alignment with Local Planning Documents

This project will help achieve the priorities of several area planning documents.   The Newtown Area Joint Comprehensive Plan (2009), which includes Newtown Township, lists recommended actions to improve the safety of transportation options for pedestrians and bicyclists, to encourage the expansion of non-automotive travel options in the Newtown area, and to develop trail connections between recreational areas and community facilities.  The plan also seeks to support the Sycamore Street commercial area through connectivity with the Borough and by promoting pedestrian connections to it.  Preservation of historic resources is also a priority listed in the plan which will be addressed by this project.

Surveys for the Newtown Creek Watershed Conservation Plan (2011) indicated public desire for more bridge crossings to facilitate pedestrian traffic between State Street and Sycamore Street and the Newtown Trail.  The Newtown Borough Integrated Transportation and Circulation Study (2012) recommended creating trail/bike crossings over Newtown Creek and identified the Frost Lane “trolley bridge” site as a potential location.

Both the Newtown Borough Comprehensive Plan Update (2022) and the Newtown Borough Open Space and Connectivity Plan (2022) specifically list construction of the Frost Lane bridge proposed by this project as a high priority.   The Comprehensive Plan recommends reducing energy demand in the transportation sector by encouraging walking and bicycling.  The Open Space and Connectivity Plan recognizes the need for this bridge as part of a larger plan to connect trail systems and recreational areas and to improve multimodal connections “that advance public health and recreation, protect natural resources, and enhance the uniquely rich historical and aesthetic context of the community.”

Economic & Quality-of-Life Benefits

The project will significantly benefit the area’s economy, as well as improve the quality of life for the wider community.  The bridge will provide safe pedestrian and bicycling circulation between the residential and business districts of Newtown Borough and Newtown Township.

Currently,  northern borough and township neighborhoods adjacent to the proposed bridge do not have any safe pedestrian or bicycle crossings over the creek and, therefore, no direct route to the extensive business district along Sycamore Street and Durham Road.   Similarly, the bridge would provide safer and more direct pedestrian and bicycle access to the commercial center of Newtown Borough and the Newtown Theatre for Township residents living west of Sycamore Street.  By connecting with the existing Newtown Trail, the bridge will also expand availability of recreational areas for residents of both municipalities.  Encouraging transportation between these areas on foot or by bicycle will also result in a reduction in vehicular traffic on area roadways and the lessening of parking congestion in commercial areas.

ANOTHER NCC PROJECT

Annual Creek Cleanups

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