Upper Makefield Taking Additional Steps To Protect Historic Resources

UPPER MAKEFIELD, PA — A consultant working to designate the Washington Crossing Bridge as historic will be asked by the township to expand his scope of work to include additional historic resources in the village of Washington Crossing.

As a follow up to its March vote to hire consultant Jeffrey Marshall to secure certification of the bridge on the National Register of Historic Places, the supervisors this week agreed to seek the expansion of Marshall's scope of work to include additional structures and land near the bridge.

The township retained Marshall's services in a move to protect the Washington Crossing Bridge, which is being considered for future replacement by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. Marshall is the retired executive director of the Bucks County Heritage Conservancy.

"I'm fully in favor of expanding the scope of work," said Supervisor Tom Cino. "We are very proud to be the host township to these very historic events and very historic locations - buildings, bridges, roads - and I think everything that we can do in our power to protect them we should do. I find it a duty as an American to push forward on this."

Supervisor Braun Taylor agreed. "We are very lucky to have copious historic resources in our township and I think going through this process with the bridge has made us realize that some of our historic resources do not have the protection they probably ought to have. We're glad to go through that process to make sure we can protect those resources."

The Washington Crossing Bridge looking from the Pennsylvania side toward New Jersey.

The supervisors are expected to approve the expanded scope of work and a negotiated fee with Marshall at an upcoming meeting of the board.

In other bridge-related news, Chairwoman Yvette Taylor reported that the supervisors and about 30 residents attended the April 30 meeting of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission to oppose any plans to replace the Washington Crossing Bridge.

"We must continue to build momentum to protect this historic landmark and the historical significance of Washington Crossing," said Taylor. "We encourage your continued attendance in person or virtually at the monthly meetings of the Toll Bridge Commission."

Taylor also announced that the township has received resolutions and letters of support in its fight to save the bridge from its neighbors in Wrightstown Township and Newtown Township in Bucks County and from Hopewell Township, New Jersey, "all expressing their concerns over the replacement of the Washington Crossing Bridge."