Toll Bridge Commission OK's Scudder Falls Bridge Bike/Ped Path

As reported by or friend John at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia:
(I know I've been awfully lazy lately with cut and past news).

The Trenton Times and PhillyBurbs.com report that the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced on Monday that a bicycle and pedestrian path will be included on the nine lane Scudder Falls Bridge.

Using our original blog post as the start point, the public campaign to add a pathway lasted 2329 Days or 6 Years 4 Months and 16 Days. The Commission received at least 170 action letters sent through the Bicycle Coalition's Scudder Falls webpage . 1505 people signed the petition online and nearly 200 signed in person.

"The bicycle-pedestrian facility was easily the topic that received the most comments during the public hearing process we conducted late last year and early this year," said Frank G. McCartney, executive director of the commission as quoted in the Times of Trenton.

Many thanks to the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and those who supported our campaign including Congressman Patrick Murphy, Congressman Rush Holt, PA State Rep. Santasiero, Ewing Township Council and the Lower Makefield Township Board of Supervisors.

This is not just a victory for bridge, its another example of retooling the Interstate Highway to function as complete streets. There are many bridges built to Interstate Standards such as the Betsy Ross and Commodore Barry Bridges that one day will have to be rebuilt. I-95 is a local demonstration that this can and should be done with every urban/suburban bridge project.

Of course nothing is set in stone until it is set in stone, and environmental impacts, tolling and two years of final design are still issues that the commission has to deal with. We will continue to work with the Toll Bridge Commission to ensure that the new Scudder Falls Bridge has a bicycle and pedestrian pathway across its span when opens later in the decade.

Deadline tommorrow for comments on Scudder Falls Bridge

As report by John and our friends at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia:

Comments to the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission on this issue are due tomorrow, February 4th. Send the Commission an email letter stating your support for a bicycle/pedestrian pathway being included in the final design of the Bridge.

The Philadelphia Inquirer ran an indepth story and editorial today about the I-95 Scudder Falls Bridge and how a bicycle/pedestrian walkway that is being considered by the Bridge Commission may not get included because it is "prohibitively expensive." The Commission is rationalizing that 9 motor vehicle lanes (up from the current 4), 2 lanes for buses and 2 12-wide shoulders are necessary and a given that they will be built, but a bicycle/pedestrian path "is a cost issue" and may not be get included in the final design.

Obviously,we at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia don't agree and are pleased that the Inquirer Editorial Board is with us! The cost of a bicycle/pedestrian pathway is well below the threshold of what the feds consider "unreasonable", and there are other important positive benefits to having providing bicycle/pedestrian access that outweigh costs. Accommodating all users in transportation projects is federal and state policy, and one that this Commission should adhere to. The Commission should be designing a bridge with a 50-75 year life span for a future of more bicycling and walking and not pretend that it doesn't have a role to play in making the region more sustainable. As the Inquirer said today, "it would be an absurd planning decision to build a new bridge that made no room for cyclists and hikers to cross between two historic canal trails."

BCGP Final Comments (pdf)

View Philadelphia Regional Trails in a larger map

Scudder Falls Bridge I-95 Meetings - Last Chance to Push for the Bridge Path

Another good one From John and our friends at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia:

Also before you might forget, see what the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission had to say about providing bike/ped access. It is definitely not the answer you would expect.

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and the Federal Highway Administration have released the draft form of the Environmental Assessment for public comment and has announced public meetings to review the findings with public.

The document is over 200 pages but if you have a few hours to skim through it you can download it here. Several options of the bridge were weighed and the report reveals the "preferred alternative". It's a behemoth of a project with 9 lanes of traffic and 4 shoulders (two 14' interior and two 12' exterior).










The "optional" pathway would be placed on the north (upstream or southbound) side of the bridge and the criteria for its inclusion is as follows:

The addition of a bicycle and pedestrian facility on the southbound side of bridge is being considered; a decision will be made during Final Design when costs are refined and cost reasonableness can be determined.

The two meetings are:
Tuesday January 19, 2009 Villa Victoria Academy, 376 Upper Ferry Road, Ewing NJ

Wednesday January 20, 2009 Sharaton Bucks County Hotel, 400 Oxford Valley Rd, Langhorne, PA

At both meetings the Open House begins at 5PM and the Public Presentation begins at 7PM.

The public is invited to submit written comments by February 4, 2010:

1 - At the Public Meetings

2 - Via email at scudderfallsbridgeEAcomments@hntb.com

3 - Or via Letter:

Kevin Skeels, PE
Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
110 Wood and Grove Streets
Morrisville, PA 19067

For questions or more information regarding the project, please call the project hotline at 800-879-0849