Newtown Township Awards Bids For 2 Pedestrian Safety Projects

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors has awarded a bid for two major pedestrian safety improvement projects in the township.

T. Schiefer Contractors Inc. will construct two overhead pedestrian-activated warning beacons, one at Silo Drive and North Sycamore Street and the other at Tara Boulevard and the Newtown-Yardley Road under a bid awarded by the township.

The company submitted the low bid for the project of $508,000, including the base bid of $391,915 and an alternate bid of $117,000 for decorative poles.

The supervisors voted 4-1 to award both the base bid and the alternate.

Before the vote, township engineer Dominic Cundari said built into the contract is a $50,000 allowance for cost overruns, which may not have to be used. If that's the case, it would bring the cost of the base bid down to $341,915 plus $42,200 for the decorative poles.

Grants totaling $375,000 will cover most of the cost of the projects with funding coming from PennDOT's Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) Funding Program and the PA Department of Community and Economic Development Keystone Communities Grant.

The push-button Rapid Flashing Beacons are part of a two-pronged plan of action approved by Newtown Township in December 2022 to address safety concerns with the Tara Boulevard mid-block crossing on the Newtown-Yardley Road and along the busy North Sycamore Street corridor.

The plan also included a reduction in the speed limit on North Sycamore Street from 35 to 25 mph and on the Newtown-Yardley Road between the borough line and Dolington Road. Both speed limit reductions took effect in early 2023.

Since 2022 residents from Newtown Walk have lobbied the township for the safety measures at the dangerous Tara Boulevard crossing, which is heavily used by residents to access the Newtown Trail and downtown Newtown.