Summer 2025

The Long Road To Pedestrian Safety

“Yellow lights are flashing. Wait for vehicles to yield.” That’s the audio recording you hear when you push the button at the two new Newtown Township crosswalks equipped with Rectangular Rapidly-Flashing Beacons (RRFBs).

I’m talking about the new pedestrian safety signals at Sycamore Street and Silo Drive and at the mid-block crossing at Tara Boulevard and Newtown-Yardley Road (read “Newtown-Yardley Road & Tara Boulevard Crosswalk RRFB Plan”).

It took a pedestrian death in 2021, many resident complaints, a petition signed by 850 people, waiting for grant money, and several years of effort to get these crosswalk improvements.

Finally, on 21 July 2025, state and township officials and politicians gathered to “inaugurate” these busy pedestrian crossings.

I was at the Tara Blvd event where residents walked in single file across the road, which reminded me of the Beatles crossing Abbey Lane in London almost 59 years ago...

State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and Representative Perry Warren (D-31) hosted a press conference at the events to celebrate the state and local partnership resulting in these pedestrian safety improvements. Read the press release.

Involved Residents

At the Tara Blvd crosswalk, I thanked the residents of Newtown Walk for being proactive, showing up at township meetings, and voicing their concerns. "I know it took a couple of years, but we now have a much safer crossing."

Regarding residents being “proactive,” at the October 26 , 2022, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Valerie Mihalek, Greg Zukowsky, and other residents of Newtown Walk - including children - asked that the BOS add to a future agenda their request for additional pedestrian safety measures on Newtown-Yardley Rd and Tara Blvd…

The Mihalek’s thanked the township for the pedestrian safety measures already implemented – e.g., adding piano striping to the crosswalk – but asked for additional pedestrian safety measures including flashing beacons that are more visible to drivers and lowering the speed limit on Newtown-Yardley Rd. to 25 MPH.

Pedestrian Death Was The Last Step

On December 22, 2021, a pedestrian – Scott Spitznas – was struck and killed by a motor vehicle while on the crosswalk at North Sycamore Street and Silo Drive. He was just a few steps away from the waiting Uber. The beloved husband and father of two from New Jersey didn't have a chance, said Bob Lutz, owner-operator of the Green Parrot restaurant and pub. Mr. Spitznas died of "massive injuries" at the scene. "He was doing all the right things," Lutz said.

“It comes down to educating the public. The public needs to know that they can’t cross outside of a crosswalk,” said Newtown Township Police Chief John Hearn. “Inside a crosswalk the cars are supposed to yield to them. Additional signage with lighting elements? That runs into an additional cost factor and involves ongoing maintenance and a liability factor if a bulb burns out and it’s not replaced in a timely manner. It’s a managed approach, but I believe education is the best way to go at this point.”

I disagreed with the Chief regarding his opinion of adding pedestrian crossing lights - such as blinking warning yellow lights, i.e., RRFBs. Yes, this would be a township expense and require maintenance, but isn't the health and safety of residents of paramount importance?

On December 27, 2021, I started the “Improve Pedestrian Safety on N Sycamore St” petition on Change.org. Over 850 people from around the world – and at least 570 from the Newtown area – have signed that petition.

Timelines

Around that time I also started the “North Sycamore Street Pedestrian Safety Timeline,” which documented past pedestrian deaths and injuries including...

• 12-22-21, 200 Block N. Sycamore Street Auto/Ped (In Crosswalk) – Fatal
• 12-16-21, Durham & Sycamore Street Auto/Ped (In Crosswalk) – minor injuries.
• 10-22-21, Sycamore & Jefferson, Auto/Ped (Mid-block) – critical injuries/Fatal. The victim eventually died of his injuries.
• 09-21-20, Sycamore & Jefferson, Auto/Ped (In Crosswalk) – minor injuries
• 05-04-19, Sycamore & Jefferson, Auto/Ped (Mid-block) – Fatal

Getting these crosswalk improvements made was a long process. Too long in my opinion. Not only that, it also took Newtown being sued by the family of Mr. Spitznas, the pedestrian killed while using the crosswalk at Silo Drive. I was grilled by the lawyers representing the township in a deposition where I was treated more like a guilty person for alerting the township to this safety issue even before the death of Mr. Spitznas. Read a summary of my deposition. Eventually the case was settled out of court.

Is It Safe?

At my deposition, I felt like Dustin Hoffman being tortured by a Nazi dentist (played by Laurence Olivier) who kept asking “Is It Safe?” I could ask the same regarding the continued safety of pedestrians even with the aforementioned crosswalk improvements.

First of all, will motorists obey the law and actually stop for pedestrians in crosswalks? The law does NOT require elaborate crosswalk safety measures like flashing beacons. You MUST stop for pedestrians in crosswalks and, yes, pedestrians need to be sure that motorists are stopped before crossing.

The Newtown-Yardley Rd Sidewalk Saga

The other pedestrian safety issue that has dragged on too long in my opinion concerns the asphalt path along Newtown-Yardley Road from the Tara Blvd. crosswalk to the borough boundary at South Elm Street. This path, which is part of the Newtown Trail, is NOT safe for pedestrians, many more of whom will use it now that the Tara Blvd. crosswalk is safer.

At the October 23, 2024, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Newtown Walk resident Charles Feuer, who was instrumental is getting the township to improve the safety of the Tara Blvd crosswalk, got a commitment from the Township Engineer - and consensus of the BOS - to see if it was possible to modify the Newtown Commons Sidewalk Project to include this stretch to connect the township with the borough as part of the Newtown Trail. View and listen to the discussion...

After the meeting, I walked along this path with Mr. Feuer and Al Dufault who is a civil engineer. You can watch the video of this that I created. As this video demonstrates, the path is too close to the busy road and there is no curbing to prevent cars from wandering onto the path when drivers are on their cell phones and not paying attention.

Since the grant award for the Commons sidewalk project was significantly higher than the bid amount ($873,000 vs $488,880), I suggested that the township implement a CHANGE ORDER to include replacing the asphalt path along Newtown-Yardley Road from Terry Dr. in the township to S. Elm St. in the borough with a sidewalk and curbing. This is something residents of Newtown Walk have requested in comments made to the BOS on numerous occasions.

PennDOT Is On Our Side

A lively discussion followed, including comments from Mr. Feuer in favor of my suggestion. At the request of the Solicitor and Board Chair, the Township Engineer said "I think we can certainly look into it. It's not a given that they [PennDOT] will allow us to use these funds for work that's not in the scope of the grant."

Surprise! Surprise! PennDOT approved use of excess grant money ($384,120) for this sidewalk proposed by Newtown Walk residents. However, the township engineering firm (RVE) estimated it would cost over $539,000 to replace the path all the way from Terry Dr. to S. Elm St. with a concrete sidewalk, curbing, and other needed work involving storm drainage. The township claimed that $160,000 in “matching funds” from the township would be needed for such a project and this item is not in the 2025 budget.

Focus on the Real Problem

However, for various reasons, it is likely that RVE’s cost estimate is highly inflated. A corrected estimate by Mr. Feuer and associates says $265,356 is a more realistic estimate. The matching fund for that that would be $79,606 (Newtown’s Obligation) NOT $160,000!

I requested that the Township Engineer to conduct a conceptual design for a more accurate cost estimate for three different sections of the path: 

1. Terry Drive-to-South Elm Ave,
2. Terry Drive-to-Tara Intersection Crosswalk, and
3. Tara Intersection Crosswalk-to-South Elm Ave.

The residents and I specifically wanted to know what the matching cost would be or option #3 as this is the more critical and logical need; i.e., to continue a safe walkway specifically as part of the Newtown Trail into the Borough. This section is only one-third of what was proposed by the township. We estimated the cost for that might be more like $140,000 and the matching fund would be one-third of that, or about $45,000. Surely, the township can afford that given the fact that last year’s budget balance was about $5 million!

Unfortunately, at the 26 March 2025 BOS meeting, this idea was nixed by a 4-1 vote (I cast the lone nay vote). Some extraordinary suggestions were put forward in defense of this vote.

For example, supervisor Snyder said she talked to “people at the cemetery,” which abuts the path, “They love the bucolic nature of the way it looks right now,” said Ms.Snyder, and “they are not in favor of going further on this project.”

Talking to dead people was a subject of my “Are You Shitting Me?” stand up comedy routine at the famed Comedy Cabaret in Doylestown, PA.

BTW, at the April 9, 2025, BOS meeting, Mr. Feuer reported that he had a conversation with Richard Tomlinson, president of the Newtown Cemetery Association, regarding the proposed sidewalk project adjacent to the cemetery. 

According to Mr. Feuer, Mr. Tomlinson said “I don't know who they talked to but that's no true. I am wholeheartedly in favor of that.” Listen to Mr. Feuer’s comments on Youtube...

The Sidewalk Project Lives On!

At the 9 July 2025 BOS meeting I put forward a proposal to apply for a NEW DCED Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) Program Grant for this proposed project. The motion passed 3-1 with Supervisor Snyder voting against it.

The DCED informed the township that this year there would be no requirement for matching funds. Along with letters in support from the offices of Mr. Santarsiero Mr. Warren (D-31), the grant application will be submitted before the August 31, 2025 deadline.

Let’s hope we get it!

Related Content

• “#NewtownPA Walk Resident Comments on Crosswalk Improvement Delay”
• “Tara Blvd Crosswalk Improvement Timeline”
• “#NewtownPA Pedestrian Safety Projects Delayed Until Spring”
• “#NewtownPA Township Awards Bids For 2 Pedestrian Safety Projects”
• “#NewtownPA Resident Norm Seeger Comments on Pedestrian Safety”
• “CrossWalk Public Comments at 10 July 2024 #NewtownPA BOS Meeting”
• “Pedestrian Struck and Killed on North Sycamore Street in Newtown Township While Catching an Uber”