Township Considers Bridge Between Haines Road & Radcliffe Street

Bristol Township officials are exploring the construction of a new bridge to span rail lines as a long-term solution to ongoing weight restrictions and structural problems with the Randall Avenue Bridge.

Township Manager Randee Mazur confirmed that the municipality is studying the feasibility of a new crossing that would connect Haines Road and Radcliffe Street.

The proposed bridge would cross over the tracks that carry Amtrak’s busy Northeast Corridor, SEPTA’s Trenton Regional Rail Line, and freight traffic.

While the 107-year-old Randall Avenue Bridge reopened last month after repair work, it remains under strict weight limits.

@levittownnow If you’ve been detouring around the Randall Avenue Bridge since 2023, your commute just got a little easier. Bristol Township Public Works Department crews removed the barriers Wednesday morning. #BucksCounty #LevittownPA #BristolTwp #LevittownNow ♬ original sound – LevittownNow.com

Officials have said those limits are frequently ignored by drivers of heavy vehicles, which has led to structural damage to the bridge.

“We’re having so many issues with truck traffic going over on Randall Avenue Bridge. It’s hard to enforce 24/7,” Mazur said.

The township plans to use state funding to cover $1.4 million in preliminary engineering for the project.

Working in coordination with PennDOT, the municipality will begin planning and analysis for a structure capable of supporting the heavy vehicle traffic that the current bridge cannot handle.

The first steps will involve issuing requests for proposals (RFPs) for a concept plan and analysis of the existing Randall Avenue structure, Mazur said.

If the bridge is built, the township would have to acquire private property to create the connection between Haines Road and Radcliffe Street.

The goal, according to the township manager, is to build a modern bridge designed for heavier vehicles.

“Our proposal is right now we’re looking for RFPs for a concept plan to do an analysis on the existing Randall Avenue Bridge,” Mazur said. “What we hope to do is create a Haines Road bridge.”

If the Haines Road project moves forward, it would eventually spell the end for the Randall Avenue Bridge. Mazur noted that the goal is for the new project to progress as the Randall Avenue Bridge reaches the end of its current lifespan, which was recently extended by the stabilization work.

The Randall Avenue Bridge was closed on an emergency basis in Feb. 2023 due to pieces of it falling onto the rail lines below it.

Bristol Township Council approved a resolution that authorizes Mazur to execute a reimbursement agreement and necessary documentation with PennDOT for the project.