Officials Target Tyburn & New Falls Roads Intersection For Repairs

The bumpy, lumpy intersection of New Falls and Tyburn roads in Falls Township will get some near-term relief ahead of a more extensive overhaul.

State Rep. Jim Prokopiak and representatives from State Sen. Steve Santarsiero’s office, Falls Township, the Bucks County Planning Commission, and PennDOT met last month to address safety and traffic flow complaints about the busy intersection.

“We understand this intersection has been a longstanding concern for residents and motorists,” Prokopiak’s office said in a statement. “With both roads currently scheduled for resurfacing in 2027, we are exploring opportunities to include short-term improvements as part of that project while also continuing to pursue the design and funding of a larger long-term solution.”

The intersection’s unusual design dates back more than 70 years, according to Brad Rudolph, the deputy communications director for PennDOT District 6.

Rudolph said PennDOT plans to use an upcoming surface treatment contract to execute “variable depth milling and resurfacing” along Tyburn Road.

The targeted paving is designed to soften the harsh and abrupt changes in the roadway’s banking, which is known as the superelevation rate.

The problem stems from its original 1954 construction and that causes the distinctly bumpy ride for drivers moving between the two corridors, Rudolph said.

Falls Township plans to upgrade the intersection’s aging traffic signals.

The municipality will apply for funding through either the state’s Automated Red-Light Enforcement (ARLE) or Green Light-Go grant programs.

Because the current equipment is dated, PennDOT anticipates the application will be approved and plans to coordinate with the township to optimize traffic signal timings, Rudolph said.

The long-term fix for the intersection remains further down the road.

A comprehensive long-term solution would involve constructing dedicated left-turn lanes on Falls Road, Rudolph noted.

Officials have not yet discussed a timeline for planning or programming the multi-lane expansion.

The intersection overhaul is absent from the draft 2027–2030 PennDOT Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which is currently open for public comment.

The Democratic lawmakers said they plan to update residents as developments as they move forward.