2022 Road Paving Schedule

 

The Supervisors authorized the award of the 2022 road program to Harris Blacktopping in an amount not to exceed $811,794.50 (see twp engineer's recommendation). This was enough to pave 3.4 miles of roads.

Please be aware the schedule will be updated on a weekly basis... find the latest schedule here.

Improved Pavement Markings

Included will be the replacement and extension of Newtown Bypass Intersection Pavement Markings (4" Single Dashed White Line) at the following locations:

1. Intersection of Newtown Bypass & Swamp Road
2. Intersection of Newtown Bypass & Richboro Road
3. Intersection of Newtown Bypass & Sycamore Street
4. Intersection of Newtown Bypass & Lindenhurst Road
5. Intersection of Newtown Bypass & Lower Silver Lake Road/Newtown Yardley Road

More Roads Need To Be Repaved

For the past 4 years (2019-2022), on average, only 3.1 miles of roads have been repaved per year (see chart). This is not nearly enough to get ahead. 

There are approximately 80 miles of roads maintained by Newtown Township. Roads typically have a life span of twenty years, which means about 3.5 to 4 miles of roads must be repaved each year JUST TO KEEP UP with current conditions. To get ahead, more than 4 miles per year must be repaved.

Previously, a 1.0 Mill real estate tax was dedicated in order to borrow money to repave more miles per year. In 2020, however, that  tax was "re-allocated" to cover General Fund expenses - a drastic move in anticipation of an Earned Income Tax (EIT) revenue shortfall of 8-11% due to the COVID-19 shutdown of local businesses. That shortfall, however, never materialized.

The 1.0 Mill of tax was never re-dedicated to paving roads and now the money comes from the state Liquid Fuel funds augmented by the General Fund – an amount that set every year by the budget.  

One stretch of road that I’d like to see repaired is Wexley Drive in my neighborhood (see the video drive-by below):

Posted on 20 Aug 2022, 01:03 - Category: Roads