Breaking News & Updates
Sommer’s Authentic Camelback Bridge Closed Until Further Notice
January 21, 2022
BRIDGE CLOSURE (Mile 14.69) – Effective January 21st, 2022, Sommer’s Authentic Camelback Bridge (pedestrian use only) is closed until further notice for public safety due to structural deficiencies. One of the wooden truss members has deteriorated due to rot, allowing for the bracing shoe to slip free of its designated placement. This has placed more load weight on one truss than the other, causing the bridge to list slightly. Trail users should turn around at the bridge closure and NOT attempt to get by it – utilize other means to cross the canal to access the towpath. Do not pass underneath the bridge. Trail users can take an alternate path around the bridge abutment to continue along the designated towpath.
Sommer’s Bridge is located in Lower Makefield Township.
Now Open – New Shared-Use Path at the Scudder Falls Bridge
November 22, 2021
The new shared-use path and complex were unveiled on Thursday, November 16th. The path connects Lower Makefield on the Pennsylvania side with Ewing in New Jersey. The complex includes a 127-space park-n-ride lot located at the intersection of Taylorsville and Woodside roads in Lower Makefield as well as a comfort station housed in a restored stone structure that dates back to 1799. Bridge and trail ramp connections can accommodate pedestrians as well as cyclists and are ADA compliant. The new shared-use path improves access to the Delaware Canal towpath in Pennsylvania and the D & R Feeder Canal towpath in New Jersey, creating an additional loop trail for residents and visitors to enjoy. There are four overlook locations on the span to encourage all to take in the scenery. This project was funded by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.
Delaware Canal Towpath Closure at New Hope: Dark Hollow Waste Gate – No Detour
December 3, 2021
Update: The towpath has reopened at Dark Hollow Waste Gate in New Hope (mile marker 24.15)
November 4, 2021
The towpath is closed at Dark Hollow Waste Gate in New Hope (mile marker 24.15) until further notice. Dredging is taking place to remove wood and rock debris for better ease of water flow during future rain events. For additional information you can contact the Delaware Canal State Park office at 610-982-5560.
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.
