January 16, 2007

Welcome

Government

Emrgcy Services

Community

Web

Copyright 2007, East Rockhill Township, Pennsylvania.  All rights reserved.

Public Statement Regarding Mood’s Covered Bridge

The following is a public statement regarding Mood’s Covered Bridge that was read into the record of the January 16, 2007 Regular Meeting of the Board of Supervisors Meeting.

 

With the imminent reconstruction of the Mood’s Covered Bridge as announced by PennDOT for this spring and the ensuing interest expressed in several letters to the editor and emails to the Township office, the Board of Supervisors feels compelled to re-iterate the following:

 

¨          Following the arson of the bridge, viewed by a majority in the community as a “tragedy” and following numerous widely attended public meetings, a majority of Township residents supported the Board’s collaboration with PennDOT and Bucks County to reconstruct the Mood’s Covered Bridge.

 

¨          The alleged “deal” was the Bucks County Commissioners acknowledgement of the cultural significance of the bridge and therefore their willingness to accept ownership and use their bridge department which currently maintains several other covered bridges in the County.  The innuendos and sarcasm to the contrary are both unfair to this Board and the residents it represents.

 

¨          Mood’s Covered Bridge is not the first one burned and rebuilt in Bucks County.  Also, it is only one of several one-lane bridges within the immediate Pennridge area.

 

¨          This is not the first time that we have considered making this section of Blooming Glen Road one-way, but it is the first using a formal traffic engineering review as part of our consideration.  Reducing some of the school bus/student traffic that uses the Bridge and subsequently Branch Road has been an issue before this Board a number of times.  Upon completion, the Traffic Study will be received and reviewed by the Board of Supervisors at either a public Work Meeting or a Regular Monthly Meeting.

 

¨          Mood’s Covered Bridge is a significant, recognizable scenic landmark by which East Rockhill Township has long been recognized (see our website).  Additionally, this one-lane bridge has a traffic calming effect (park, bike path, etc.) and mandates driver patience and courtesy.  Also, not looking to be known as ‘the best place to cross the East Branch Creek”.

 

¨          Future opportunities, in the event of additional development in the Branch Road corridor, an alternate plan to re-route Blooming Glen Road from Hilltown across a two-lane bridge will be explored.

 

¨          The re-construction of Mood’s Covered Bridge will not place an alleged financial burden on East Rockhill residents.  The current “gang (Board) of Township Supervisors” has an established record of both looking to the future and maintaining a fiscally responsive delivery of quality services to our residents.

 

¨          If the bridge is not re-built now, it will never be re-built!