Breaking News & Updates
Towpath closure in the area of I-95/I-295 extended
October 13, 2021
FULL TRAIL CLOSURE: The towpath will be closed in the area of I-95/I-295, Scudder Falls Bridge, through October 31st 2021. This closure is in effect to install a safe pedestrian crossing to connect the towpath with the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission’s (DRJTBC) new commuter lot and public restroom facility. For additional information please visit the DRJTBC website at www.drjtbc.org/project/
Delaware Canal Towpath Closed Around-the-Clock Near Scudder Falls (I-295) Bridge
September 23, 2021
Closure expected to end on or about October 8.
The Delaware Canal towpath near the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge ( mile post – 15.11) is now closed around-the-clock for construction of a pedestrian bridge over the canal. The closure is expected to be ongoing for at least three weeks, ending around Oct. 8.
When completed, the new pedestrian bridge will provide a safe connection between the towpath and the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission’s 1799 House trailhead area and nearby park-and-ride lot off Woodside Road in Lower Makefield, PA. This link will be integral once all construction on the shared-use pedestrian/bicycle facility at the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge is completed later this fall.
More information on the bridge replacement is available through the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.
Delaware Canal Towpath Closure Lumberville Aqueduct Pedestrian Bridge
September 10, 2021
TOWPATH CLOSURE (Mile Post 31.11).
In the area of Lumberville, the towpath is CLOSED at the Lumberville Aqueduct Pedestrian Bridge. The purpose of this closure is for PUBLIC SAFETY and will be in effect until the crossing can be made safe. Trail users should turn around at the closure and NOT attempt to get by it. The aqueduct and associated pedestrian crossing sustained significant damages during Tropical Storm Ida to include the loss of a structural pier beneath the aqueduct.
Delaware Canal Towpath Closures/Avoidances Due to TD Ida
September 7, 2021
If you plan to use the towpath be sure to use extreme caution due to damages sustained from Hurricane Ida. It is highly advised that visitors avoid the section of towpath between Easton (MP 58.89) and Point Pleasant, Lock 14 (MP 32.3). There are downed trees and debris along the entire length of the towpath. The towpath is closed in the area of Upper Black Eddy (MP 43) due to a bank collapse and washout to the river. Areas of SR 611 and River Road (RT 32) are washed out leaving areas inaccessible. The Day Use Recreation Areas at Theodore Roosevelt (MP 53.1) will remain closed due to ongoing cleanup efforts. Heed all signs for road and towpath closures. Traveling by car near the park may be difficult to navigate.
If you plan to go to Ralph Stover State Park this weekend, use caution on trails. There will be limited parking due to parking lot washouts.
Delaware Canal Towpath Closure at Scudder Falls Bridge in September
Intermittent Towpath Closure at Scudder Falls Bridge – Mile 15
INTERMITTENT TRAIL CLOSURE: Beginning September the towpath may be closed in the area of I-95/I-295, Scudder Falls Bridge, intermittently through end of September 2021. Closures may occur between 6am-5pm Monday through Friday; the trail will be open on weekends. The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC) will be demolishing the existing bridge over the canal and/or conducting work on the new bridge overhead during these closures. For additional information please visit the DRJTBC website at www.drjtbc.org/project/
Delaware Canal Towpath Closed Between Berm Lane Bridge and Lodi Hill Road
Starting 8/13 – TOWPATH CLOSURE (MILES 42.70 – 41.84).
In the area of Upper Black Eddy the towpath is CLOSED between Berm Lane Bridge and Lodi Hill Road. The purpose of this closure is for PUBLIC SAFETY and will be in effect until the Spahr’s Camelback Bridge has been deconstructed and no longer spanning the towpath and canal. This bridge is one of six remaining authentic camelback bridges that can be found along the entire 58.9 mile length of the Canal and they are an iconic structure to the two-hundred year old National Historic Landmark. The purpose of this deconstruction is to prepare the site for future bridge abutment repairs and the eventual rehabilitation of the superstructure. Trail users should turn around at the closure and NOT attempt to get by it, as heavy equipment will be blocking the towpath and for other safety concerns. Delaware Canal State Park anticipates this closure to be intermittent in nature over the next 60 days; however, this is a tentative timeline subject to being lessened or extended.
Delaware Canal Towpath Closure Between Waterview Condominimums and Bowman’s Hill
Update August 6, 2021: All storm cleanup efforts in this section have been completed.
Update July 30, 2021: 9 trees have been cleared from the towpath as of 2:00pm.
The Park maintenance crew has been hard at work and has cleared 9 trees from the towpath in the sections between New Hope and Bowman’s Hill. The towpath has reopened, however additional cleanup is still needed into the week of 8/2. Please note the possibility that additional blockages may be present in areas not yet discovered.
July 30, 2021
Delaware Canal Towpath Closure – Several trees have been downed due to storm damage in the area of Hew Hope Borough and Solebury Township, Mile Post 23.6 to Mile Post 23, the section between Waterview Condominiums and Bowman’s Hill. Cleanup of the debris is expected to last into the week of 8/2. Trail users are cautioned to avoid this section of trail until notice is removed.
Friends of the Delaware Canal Names New Executive Director
PHOTO CREDIT: Jim Horton Photography
New Hope, PA, July 26, 2021 – The Friends of the Delaware Canal (FODC) today announced that Michael D. Ginder has been appointed executive director of the organization. Susan Taylor has retired after 30 years in that role.
Brett Webber, president of the FODC, said, “The Friends of the Delaware Canal is excited about Michael’s appointment. We look forward to working with him and building on Susan’s many accomplishments.”
“The Canal is such a vital part of our region’s history, and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to join the Friends as the next executive director,” said Ginder. “It will be exciting to work with the passionate individuals who are stewards of the canal, expanding our membership base, and encouraging area residents and visitors to spend time along the Canal.”
Ginder, a New Hope resident, was previously director of Business and Employment Services for the Arc Mercer. He has also served as executive director of the Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge in Medford, NJ, where he was responsible for the strategic planning, financial well-being and fundraising for the organization.
FODC works in partnership with the State of Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of State Parks and Delaware Canal State Park to undertake restoration projects that rescue significant Canal structures. FODC has restored five of the six historically authentic camelback bridges and is collaborating with the state to ensure an accurate restoration of Spahr’s Bridge in Upper Black Eddy, where work has already begun.
In 2022, FODC will mark the 40th anniversary of its founding in 1982 with plans underway to celebrate in communities along the entire length of the Canal. The Canal, which runs nearly 60 miles from Easton to Bristol, PA, is watched over by volunteer FODC canal tenders who inspect the towpaths, pick up trash, clear branches and report problems throughout the year.
The FODC mission is to sustain a unique link to the country’s national heritage, protect beautiful and diverse natural areas, provide recreational and educational opportunities and enable the Canal to serve as a community and economic asset.
MEDIA: You may download the entire press release and photo here.
Towpath Closures Underneath the I-295/Scudder Falls Bridge Project
June 25, 2021
INTERMITTENT TRAIL CLOSURE: Beginning July the towpath may be closed in the area of I-95/I-295, Scudder Falls Bridge, intermittently through end of July 2020. Closures may occur between 7am-5pm Monday through Friday; the trail will be open on weekends. The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC) will be demolishing the existing bridge over the canal and/or conducting work on the new bridge overhead during these closures. For additional information please visit the DRJTBC website at www.drjtbc.org/project/
Pedestrian Staircase at Centre Bridge to be Closed June 14 – 18
Centre Bridge-Stockton Bridge’s Pedestrian Staircase Scheduled to Close for Four Days Next Week
96-Hour Closure to Allow for Epoxy-Coating Reapplication on New Concrete Steps Adjacent to Delaware Canal Towpath
SOLEBURY, PA – The Centre Bridge-Stockton Toll-Supported Bridge’s staircase to the Delaware Canal towpath (PA side) is scheduled to be inaccessible for 96 consecutive hours between early Monday and early Friday next week, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced today.
The staircase needs to be closed from 7 a.m. Monday, June 14, to 7 a.m. Friday, June 18, so a new epoxy coating can be applied to its bottom concrete steps. The epoxy has a long drying/curing time, accounting for the extended shutdown of public access. As with any construction project of this nature, the scheduled closure is subject to change due to weather, emergencies and other considerations.
The staircase is frequently used by bicyclists and pedestrians as a connection between the bridge’s pedestrian walkway and the canal towpath below the bridge’s Pennsylvania abutment. The Commission is urging bicyclists and pedestrians travel to plan alternate routes while the staircase is out of service.
Delaware River connection points between Pennsylvania’s Delaware Canal towpath and New Jersey’s Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath are the Lumberville-Raven Rock Toll-Supported Pedestrian Bridge to the north and the New Hope-Lambertville Toll-Supported Bridge’s walkway to the south.
The Centre Bridge-Stockton Bridge connects the Centre Bridge section of Solebury Township, PA. with the Borough of Stockton, N.J. The 94-year-old steel Warren-truss bridge carried an average of 4,500 vehicles per day in 2020.
