Pedestrian Bridge Project Goes Out For Bid In Newtown Twp.

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — Plans to build a pedestrian bridge over the Newtown Creek took a significant step forward on Wednesday.

In a unanimous vote, the board of supervisors directed its engineer to advertise for bids for the new span, a joint project between the township, Newtown Borough and the Newtown Creek Coalition.

The envisioned bridge will be built over the Newtown Creek between North Sycamore Street (behind Penn Community Bank) in Newtown Township and Frost Lane and Edgeboro Drive in Newtown Borough.

Designed by Howell Engineering, the bridge will be constructed on a portion of the old Newtown Trolley Line, which transported passengers from Newtown to Doylestown between 1898 to 1923. The bridge and pathway will extend 692 feet from Sycamore Street to Edgeboro Drive, with the bridge itself measuring 170 feet.

Eight foot wide asphalt paths will lead up to the bridge from the east and west sides. The bridge itself will be eight feet wide constructed from a durable composite material with a warranty of between 25 and 50 years, according to Mike Sellers from the Newtown Creek Coalition.

The bridge is designed with downward-facing lighting with bollards used to illuminate walking surfaces. Continuous railings will line the pathways leading up to the bridge, complemented by landscaping.

The bridge will feature a grid-like pattern to allow panoramic views of the creek and surrounding scenery. Two viewing platforms, or "bumpouts," will be incorporated into the bridge, offering benches for visitors to sit and observe their surroundings.

A depiction of the proposed bridge and walkways leading up to it. (Howell Engineering)

The remnants of the former trolley bridge. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

The only known photograph of the historic bridge taken around 1898.

In addition, stone steps and a pathway to the water's edge is incorporated into the design on the west side of the bridge.

Sellers said the original trolley bridge foundations will remain visible as historical remnants and will be highlighted with lighting at night. And a display will provide information on the history of the Newtown trolley line, which had once traversed Penn Street and State Street before crossing the creek at Frost Lane and continuing its journey to Doylestown.

The pathways and bridge are designed to be fully compliant with ADA requirements, said Sellers.

The bridge is also designed to be open, allowing for unobstructed views of the creek while blending in with the surrounding landscape.

"In a sense, the bridge almost fades into the background while people can really experience the creek from the bumpouts and the surrounding areas visually," said Sellers. "

Construction of the bridge is estimated to cost about $750,000, which will be funded through a $1 million grant awarded to the project by the state.

"If you look at the Newtown Township trail system map, you will see the bridge supplies a very important missing link connecting the existing township trails to the east and the west," said Sellers, noting that it will also serve as a significant link in the regional trail system in Bucks County and southeastern Pennsylvania..

Bids will be due by the end of March, with an award anticipated in May. Construction is slated to begin thereafter, with completion and dedication anticipated in spring 2027.

The project is being funded by a $1 million Local Share Account (LSA) grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The grant was secured by State Senator Steve Santarsiero and State Rep. Perry Warren.

"The addition of a pedestrian bridge over Newtown Creek will not only bridge two municipalities together, but will improve our local and regional trail connectivity,” said Senator Santarsiero.

“The Newtown Creek Pedestrian Bridge is near and dear to my heart,” added Rep. Warren. “This bridge will connect communities, both physically and metaphorically, as Newtown Borough residents and Newtown Township residents on 'the other side of the creek' will have safe pedestrian access to the Sycamore Street commercial and business district, and all residents will have another recreational area to enjoy. Thank you to the Newtown Creek Coalition for its vision for this project and its effort in moving it toward fruition.”

The idea of a pedestrian bridge was first broached at a meeting of the Newtown Borough Creek Coalition in the township and the creek coalition in 2010.

“We started talking about ways to get safely across the creek and began looking at the possibility of repurposing the old trolley line bridge as a pedestrian crossing," said Sellers.

Up until 2016, residents had the option of crossing the creek using a pedestrian bridge located off of North State Street. That bridge, however, located on private property was shut down after it fell into disrepair and became a liability for the property owner.

In late 2019, just months before the pandemic, the township supervisors and the borough council approved resolutions supporting the concept and working with each other and the Newtown Creek Coalition to explore the feasibility of the project.

After being sidelined by the pandemic, Sellers resurrected the idea with appearances before the board of supervisors and the borough council.

In early 2023, both municipalities authorized their engineers to begin working together on the project and to pursue grant opportunities.

In October 2024, the Newtown Borough Council approved a resolution in supporting Newtown Township's grant application for the project.

The project also received the backing and support of State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, State Rep. Perry Warren, the Bucks County Commissioners, the Bucks County Planning Commission, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Heritage Conservancy, the Newtown Historical Association, the borough and township planning commissions, and the Central Bucks Bicycle Club.