Newtown Borough Council Expected To Award Road Program Bid

NEWTOWN BOROUGH — Despite higher than expected bids, Borough Council is not expected to make any changes to its 2022 road repaving program when it votes on the project on Tuesday, July 12.

“As we all sort of feared the bids we received are above the estimate,” reported Council President Susan Turner during council’s July work session.

T. Schiefer Contractors, Inc. of Doylestown submitted the lowest bid for the project at $253,326.90, which is about $50,000 more than the projected estimates.

The road program includes repaving Lafayette Street from South Norwood to South Elm, South Congress from East Penn to Centre Avenue, North Congress from Federal Lane to Frost Lane (shared project with Newtown Township) and Edgeboro Drive from Frost Lane to North Congress.

The roads were identified by the borough’s engineering firm, CKS, as high priority for repair under the borough’s road inventory program developed last year.

According to Turner, the bids ranged from a low of $253,326 to a high of $300,029.

When Turner asked council whether any roads should be removed from the program due to the higher cost, there didn’t appear to be any support among the councilors.

“They are high priority. They definitely really need to be done,” Councilor Tara Grunde-McLaughlin said of the streets identified for repair.

“If you defer maintenance you’ll only be looking at a higher cost later,” added Councilor Bob Szwajkos.

“For the past four years or so our street improvement program has enhanced the community considerably. Our roads are in great shape compared to other municipalities,” added Szwajkos.

Council is scheduled to award the road program bid at its next meeting on Tuesday at the Chancellor Center.

In other news, Council announced that the next Movie in the Park will be “Matilda” on July 13. It will be shown from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Linton Memorial Park. There is no rain date.

“Music On The Street” is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, July 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. in front of 16 South State Street. Sponsored by the Newtown Historical Association and the Newtown Experience Committee, the music takes place every Tuesday through August 30.