North Sycamore Street Pedestrian Safety Timeline

UPDATED 6 SEPTEMBER 2024

It’s been over a year since Scott Spitznas was struck and killed by a car while in the crosswalk at Silo Drive and North Sycamore Street in Newtown Township on December 22, 2021. One month later, the Newtown traffic engineer recommended several pedestrian safety measures. Only some of these recommendations were approved for immediate implementation at the time (read “Newtown Supervisors Act To Improve Pedestrian Safety”).

Since other recommended safety measures are yet to be implemented, I thought it was a good time to review the history of pedestrian safety on North Sycamore Street. Hence this timeline, which includes links to more information that I have published. I plan to update the timeline as needed.

June 13, 2000
Sycamore Street Committee decided that the intersection of North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive warranted the installation of a traffic signal.

January 14, 2002
Township traffic engineers completed a traffic signal warrant analysis and prepared traffic permit plans for the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive.

March 10, 2002
Engineers said it was unlikely that PennDOT would approve a traffic signal at North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive, and recommended that attention be focused on installation of a traffic signal at Jefferson Street and North Sycamore Street. Ultimately, that traffic signal was installed.

December 17, 2003
Township begins construction of new crosswalks to be made of brick laid out in a herringbone pattern for the intersection of North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive. These plans contained a written instruction to "install junction boxes and underground conduit for future traffic signal installation" at North Sycamore and Silo Drive.

June 13, 2005
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle at or near 221 North Sycamore Street, approximately 300 feet south of Silo Drive.

October 2006
A Traffic Impact Study recommended restricting eastbound Silo Drive traffic from making left hand turns onto North Sycamore Street.

May 21, 2007
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle at or near North Sycamore Street and Jefferson Street approximately 700 feet south of Silo Drive.

November 8, 2007
Newtown traffic engineers, in a Traffic Signal Warrant Analysis for the Intersection of Sycamore Street and Silo Drive, concluded that "based upon existing and projected traffic volumes, a traffic signal is warranted at the project intersection. In anticipation of the traffic signal installation, underground conduit was installed for the proposed signal under the Sycamore Street improvement project."

January 14, 2008
Ashwin Patel, P.E., Signal Engineer at PennDOT, responded to the Traffic Signal Warrant Analysis stated "Since most of the traffic from Silo Dr. is turning right the alternate intersection design should be evaluated rather than the traffic signal installation. (i.e., Channelized yield movements for the right turns)."

February 28, 2008
PennDOT rejects traffic signal for the intersection of Silo Drive and N Sycamore St, stating "Since most of the traffic from Silo Drive is turning right, an alternative intersection design should be evaluated rather than a traffic signal installation. Re-evaluate this intersection with a two way stop control and exclusive right tum lane on Silo Drive.”

July 28, 2009
Newtown Township granted a Building Certificate of Occupancy to the Green Parrot Irish Pub & Grille on the comer of North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive. Of course, this increased the presence of pedestrian traffic in that area.

May 29, 2010
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle at or near North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive.

August 2011
Another Traffic Impact Study concluded "Installation of a signal, while improving the LOS, will also provide a safer means for pedestrians to cross Sycamore Street with the installation of ADA ramps, pedestrian push buttons and pedestrian signal heads with countdown timers. It is recommended that Newtown Township continue to monitor the intersection and coordinate efforts with PennDOT to signalize this intersection."

April 16, 2012
At a Newtown Township Board of Supervisors Work Session, Township Traffic Committee Chairman Timothy Szwedo, P.E. recommended that the speed limit on Sycamore Street should be reduced to 25 MPH to promote safety.

February 7, 2015
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle at or near North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive.

August 28, 2015
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle at or near North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive.

October 28, 2015
The Newtown BOS discuss Audible Pedestrian Signal Upgrades: Mr. Ferguson [Twp Mgr] reminded the Board that the 2015 budget had included $85,000 for audible pedestrian signals for four intersections on Sycamore Street. The bids all came in for double the budgeted amount – the bids were rejected.

September 20, 2017
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle at or near at or near North Sycamore Street and Swamp Road.

May 4, 2019
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle at or near North Sycamore and Silo Drive, approximately 100 feet south of Silo Drive.

September 21, 2020
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle at or near North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive, approximately 700 feet south of Silo Drive.

July 14, 2021
Supervisor Oxley asked about speeding down 532 coming off Washington Crossing Road onto Sycamore Street: “There could be a potential challenge once you get closer to Silo Drive…maybe we could get a little bit more enforcement when folks are coming off of 532 of Washington Crossing … they're just flying … there's people that are going to be dining on both sides of that street.” Newtown Township Police Chief Hearn presented evidence that speeding is not a problem and enforcement without radar is a problem. He recommended decoy police cars and a speed sign board. View the video of this conversation on Youtube.

July 14, 2021
Meanwhile, at the same BOS meeting, supervisors failed to re-instate the Newtown Joint Traffic Committee. The purpose of the this Committee, according to the failed resolution, is “to ... [ensure] the ability to safely walk, drive, bike, and use public transportation throughout the Township and Borough in accordance with a consistent and comprehensive approach to pedestrian and vehicular circulation and safety.” There was a long discussion about the makeup of this committee viz-a-viz the Borough vs. the Township, how many members should be on the committee, and whether the committee was even necessary. In the end, the BOS decided that the committee was not needed and did not vote to send the resolution to Newtown Borough to move forward. Unfortunately, soon afterward several pedestrians were struck by cars on N. Sycamore St including Scott Spitznas, who died as a result.

September 21, 2021
On Monday, September 21, 2020, at approximately 12:15 p.m. it was reported that an unknown make or model white car struck a pedestrian who was walking northbound on Sycamore Street, crossing the intersection of Jefferson Street. The vehicle was making a left hand turn onto Jefferson St, from Sycamore St and did not stop after the incident. [Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://bucks.crimewatchpa.com/newtowntwppd/34824/cases/struck-pedestrian]

October 22, 2021
A pedestrian was struck and critically injured by a motor vehicle at or near North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive, approximately 480 feet north of Silo Drive.

November 10, 2021
Supervisor Mack asked Newtown Township Police Chief Hearn if he had any ideas for making the North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive intersection safer such as using yellow warning lights. The Chief said “… it comes down to education … the public has to know that they can't cross outside of a crosswalk.” With regard to lighting elements, the Chief said “that runs into a cost factor for the township and involves ongoing maintenance and also a liability factor if the bulb burns out and if it's not replaced in a timely manner it could come back to bite you. I think education is the best way to go at this point.” He suggested that perhaps flyers could be posted in local businesses. View the video below:

December 16, 2021
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle at or near North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive, approximately 480 feet north of Silo Drive.

December 22, 2021
A pedestrian – Scott Spitznas – was struck and killed by a motor vehicle while on crosswalk at North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive. Read “Sycamore Street Is Popular, But Is It Safe?”

December 27, 2021
Supervisor Mack started the “Improve Pedestrian Safety on N Sycamore St” petition on Change.org. Over 850 signatures and comments were collected.

January 11, 2022
The owner of the Green Parrot Restaurant donated $7,500.00 to Newtown Township "to assist the police department and Newtown Township in their efforts to reduce traffic incidents involving pedestrians along Sycamore Street."

January 12, 2022
Newtown Board of Supervisors approved several pedestrian safety measures to be implemented immediately for North Sycamore Street. In addition, the engineers and township were instructed to move ahead to explore other measures. For details, see the January, 2022, issue of Newtown News Update (PDF).

January 13, 2022
The Newtown Township Public Works Department starts adding piano stripes to crosswalks at North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive and at other Sycamore Street crosswalks.

February 26, 2022
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle at North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive, approximately 480 feet north of Silo Drive.

March 11, 2022
Newtown Township receives a letter from the attorney for Scott Spitznas (pedestrian who was killed on N Sycamore St and Silo Dr on December 22, 2021) giving the township formal notice of a wrongful death claim filed by the Estate of Scott Spitznas in accordance with 42 Pa. C.S.A. §5522. This claim includes, among other things, all cognizable damages under the Wrongful Death Act and Survival Act of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

April 27, 2022
Newtown Board of Supervisors approved Ordinance #2022-0-2 establishing a no-parking zone on North Sycamore Street, west side, to a point 120 ft. north measured from the center line of Silo Drive.

June 22, 2022
Armour and Sons began upgrading the existing incandescent street lighting to include brighter LED fixtures along North and South Sycamore Street.

October 2022
Signage Improvements at Washington Crossing Road (SR 0532)/Sycamore Street and Durham Road/Bank Access (i.e., NO TURN ON Red signage). RVE [township engineering firm] is currently reviewing the draft grant agreement provided by PennDOT, as well as finalizing the grant funding breakdown with PennDOT for the agreement. RVE previously prepared the Environmental Document required as a supplement to the PennDOT Multimodal Grant Agreement. PennDOT provided approval of the updated signal plans on 9/7/2022.

December 22, 2022
Bucks County Court of Common Pleas WRONGFUL DEATH Case No. 2022-06734 filed by SPITZNAS, BRANDI M ADMIN against Newtown Township and others. This case aims to recover significant damages due to the death of Scott Spitznas on Decemebr 21, 2021, at the intersection of N Sycamore St and Silo Drive. Among the defendants named are the driver of the car involved, the owners of the car, the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors, PennDOT, Remington Vernick Engineers, and several other engineering firms employed by Newtown over the years,

January 6, 2023
Township engineering firm RVE reported: The Township has obtained special funding through Keystone Communities for the signal improvements at this intersection (N Sycamore and Silo Dr; read “Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons Proposed for North Sycamore Street”). Grant agreements have been executed. Now that funding is in place, RVE will begin design plans for the RRFB [Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon] signal design (read “Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons Proposed for North Sycamore Street”). RVE is preparing a proposal for services for the design of the RRFB. QUESTION: Was this grant for $50,000? Will that cover the costs? ANSWER: No. The total cost is $183,371, which includes other improvements such as additional improved signage and striping, and ADA ramp improvements.

Note: I am sure that this was done to improve pedestrian safety, but there seems to be a difference of opinion on that as evidenced by the following discussion at the January 23, 2023, Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting:

Mack's Newtown Voice · No Turn On Red Discussion

January 15, 2023
The “North Sycamore Street Pedestrian Safety Timeline” published by John Mack. This was done Partly because a friend of his son was hit by a car and killed on Sycamore Street.

January 23, 2023
Township engineering firm RVE informed supervisors that they have prepared a plan for speed limit reduction to 25 MPH on North Sycamore Street from Washington Avenue to Durham Rd. The plan shows the new signs that are needed, as well as signs to be removed and/or replaced. The plan does NOT include lowering the speed limit on Washington Crossing Rd approaching N Sycamore, which seems to be “okay” with PennDOT.

Plan for placing 25 MPH signs on N Sycamore St

January 25, 2023
At the January 25, 2023, BOS meeting, Dave Sander, the Newtown Solicitor, was of the opinion that the Board already authorized the lowering of the speed limit to 25 MPH for N Sycamore St. All that needs to be done is to draft the ordinance, which can be approved at the next BOS meeting, which is on February 8, 2023.

Interestingly, Mr. Sander informed the BOS that the Newtown Municipal Code/Traffic specifies that the maximum allowable speed limit for the “entire length” of Sycamore St (North AND South) is 15 MPH whereas street signs currently indicate 35 MPH as the speed limit. Obviously, the traffic code must be amended to indicate that the speed limit is 25 MPH on N Sycamore St and 35 MPH on S Sycamore St (at least that is my interpretation of what needs to be done). Listen to his comments...

February 8, 2023
The BOS unanimously approved lowering the speed limit on North AND South Sycamore Street to 25 MPH.

ORDINANCE No. 2023-O-2 states: “Sycamore Street has been re-designated as North Sycamore Street (between Durham Road and Swamp Road/West Washington Avenue, and South Sycamore Street (between Swamp Road/West Washington Avenue and the Newtown Bypass), and the Board of Supervisors desires to establish a 25 miles per hour maximum speed limit on both North Sycamore Street and South Sycamore Street in the best interests of the public health, safety, and welfare and to allow proper enforcement of the maximum speed limits.” See January 23, 2023, above for the Sycamore Street Speed Signage plan.

February 10, 2023
#NewtownPA Public Works Dept announce that all speed limit signs on North & South Sycamore Street have been changed to reflect the new 25 MPH speed limit approved just 2 days ago by the Board of Supervisors! See January 23, 2023, above for the Sycamore Street Speed Signage plan.

February 20, 2023
I spoke to Police Chief Hearn about enforcement of the speed limit on Sycamore Street and Newtown-Yardley Road. Pennsylvania is the ONLY state where municipal police cannot use radar speed enforcement. According to Pennsylvania law, municipal police are limited to using stopwatches or electronic devices and two reference points to monitor vehicle speed. "Reference points" refer to “speed lines” in the road separated by a known distance. The Newtown Public Works Department painted such speed lines near South Sycamore St and Winchester Ln and at Newtown Yardley Rd and Newtown Commons West. Chief Hearn reminded me that to issue a ticket, the recorded speed must be more that 10 miles over the limit.

January 29, 2024
Newtown Township awarded a $326,931 Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) grant for the construction of pedestrian-activated overhead Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the Newtown-Yardley Rd/Tara Blvd crosswalk and N Sycamore St/Silo Dr intersection. Read “#NewtownPA Township To Get More Than $300,000 For Pedestrian Safety”.

June 25, 2024
John Mack is deposed by lawyers representing plaintiffs in the Spitznas WRONGFUL DEATH case (see December 22, 2022).

At the 14 August 2024 Board of Supervisors meeting I held up the 5-lb package containing a transcript of my deposition related to the Spitznas vs Newtown wrongful death suit. I did this during a discussion of the Tara Blvd crosswalk project to protest the delay in enhancing pedestrian safety at this crosswalk hoping that it does not result in another death due to inaction by the township.

July 12, 2024
The Traffic Signal Permit Plan was submitted to PennDOT on 7/12/24 and an anticipated response date was set by PennDOT for 8/11/24. RVE is actively working on the bid documents for both crosswalk locations [Silo Dr and Tara Blvd: View video "Tara Blvd Versus Silo Dr Crosswalk Pedestrian Safety: A Bird in Hand Is Worth Two in Bush!"].

August 14, 2024
At the 14 August 2024 BOS meeting, RVE requested and was granted authorization to bid the Newtown Township Pedestrian Upgrades project both crosswalk locations – Silo Dr and Tara Blvd. At the meeting, I held up the 5-lb package containing a transcript of my deposition related to the Spitznas vs Newtown wrongful death suit. I did this during a discussion of the Tara Blvd crosswalk vs the Silo Dr crosswalk project to protest the delay in enhancing pedestrian safety at the Tara Blvd crosswalk while waiting for reply from PennDOT regarding Silo Dr. View video:

August 23, 2024
PennDOT issued their review of the Sycamore/Silo RRFB Permit Plan. "They are looking for additional details for the ADA ramp," according to the Township Manager. "RVE has discussed the revision with PennDOT, and will be resubmitting shortly. In the interim, RVE is finalizing the bid documents and is aiming to solicit bids simultaneously with the resubmission to PennDOT.”

PennDOT’s Comments Re ADA Ramps.
Also see “ADA Compliant Diagonal Curb Ramps”

August 29, 2024
Supervisors were informed that the Sycamore/Silo signal permit application has been “revised and resubmitted to PennDOT. The Bid specifications/package have been completed and will be advertised next week for bidding/proposals from contractors for construction for the Sycamore/Silo and Tara/Newtown Yardley Road signals,” said Township Manager Micah Lewis. Not specified is whether PennDOT has issued a permit for the Sycamore/Silo crosswalk project (see August 23, 2024 entry).

FOLLOWUP (August 30, 2024): The Township Engineer offered these details: “The first advertisement date would be next Friday, September 6th and bids would be scheduled to be opened three (3) weeks after, September 27th.”

September 6, 2024
Notice to Bidders Published: Newtown Township Pedestrian Upgrades

September 23, 2024
Email from Micah Lewis: “See below from Dominic. PennDOT is requiring RVE to submit additional supplemental information that is above & beyond the requirements for a Signal Permit... RVE is working on providing the supplemental information to PennDOT as requested.”

Email from Dominic Cundari to Micah Lewis: “As discussed, prior to approving the traffic signal permit at N. Sycamore St. & Silo Drive, PennDOT is seeking additional information regarding the ADA compliant curb ramps [SEE AUGUST 23, 2024]. They are now seeking Technically Infeasible Forms (TIF) due to the existing diagonal ramps to provide reasoning why they are necessary. This was not anticipated considering these are not State Routes that require Highway Occupancy Permits and they typically don’t comment on the ramp design for local roads. However, considering the history at this intersection [SEE DECEMBER 22, 2021], it seems like they don’t want to approve the traffic signal permit without this information. We will be preparing this and sending it to PennDOT as soon as possible. [QUESTION: WHY WASN’T THIS DONE A MONTH AGO WHEN PENNDOT BROUGHT THIS UP AND RVE DISCUSSED IT WITH PENNDOT? RVE SAID IT WOULD RESUBMIT THE APPLICATION “SHORTLY” – THAT WAS ON AUGUST 23.] With these TIF forms, it will open us up to more comments from PennDOT on the design of the ramps. The issue is that the existing diagonal ramp is not the preferred design, but we have made it clear to PennDOT that relocating ramps and crosswalks would increase the cost dramatically and would not fit within the ARLE funding. We are unsure at this time how much longer it will take to obtain the traffic signal permit at this intersection.”

September 27, 2024
Bids Are Opened: The township received a total of two (2) bids as follows:

T. Schiefer Contractors, Inc.
- Base Bid - $391,915.00
- Alternate Bid No. 1 (decorative poles) - $117,000
Armour & Sons Electric, Inc.
- Base Bid - $437,445.00
- Alternate Bid No. 1 (decorative poles) - $103,125.00

The Township engineers have started to review all the submitted documentation and will have a recommendation for award as soon as possible. The bids do need to be submitted to ARLE for their review and approval as part of the grant contract. Note that the township received an ARLE Grant of $326,931 for these projects. An additional $50,000 is available from another grant.

RVE Invoices Related to Silo Dr Crosswalk

The following data was obtained by analyzing 2023 and 2024 Bills Lists (no bills that could be identified as related to this project were found in the 2022 Bills Lists). To date (8/26/24) RVE bills for the Tara Blvd crosswalk project totals $23,318.22: