Plans to build a pedestrian footbridge over Newtown Creek are one step closer to reality.
At the Nov. 26 meeting, the board of supervisors voted 4-0 to start the ball rolling for the non-profit Newtown Creek Coalition to look into getting state money to build a new structure using six existing stone piers of an old trolley line that was discontinued in 1923.
The trolley ran along Penn Street, State and crossed the creek at Frost Lane before continuing to Doylestown.
Voting to set up a three-party study group between the township, the coalition and Newtown Borough were: Chairman Phil Calabro, along with Supervisors Linda Bobrin, Dennis Fisher and John Mack. Supervisor Kyle Davis did not attend the meeting.
“The footbridge would create a safe recreational pedestrian connection between the township and the borough,” said Mike Sellers, president of the Newtown Creek Coalition.
According to Sellers, the state has a number of grants available to fund transportation alternatives, trail expansions, as well as storm water management. And he said that this project falls into all these areas where funding is available.
With their vote to look into the feasibility of the footbridge, the supervisors agreed to set up a working group to formally study the proposal and for which grants to apply.
The next step is for Newtown Borough Council to also approve a resolution to look into the project.
Even though state grants could help fund the project, they usually require municipalities to also contribute money, something that has several supervisors concerned, including Supervisor Mack who stated that “grants don’t cover 100-percent.”
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What's YOUR Opinion?
There are currently TWO #NewtownPA Creek pedestrian bridges proposed - one at Frost Lane and Edgeboro Road in the Borough to North Sycamore Street in the Township and one at the other end of town connecting the proposed Steeple View development in the Borough to Carl Sedia Park in the Township.
The Newtown BOS already approved apply for a grant for the Frost Lane bridge (read more about that here). The Steeple View bridge is just a concept, but the developer has already asked in confidence for opinions from Newtown BOS members (read more about that here).
In general, how much are you in favor of/opposed to these proposed bridges?
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