Bucks County runners and cyclists have been waiting patiently the better part of a year for work to be completed on three projects along the popular Delaware Canal towpath.
According to Delaware Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the final segment adjacent to Bowman’s Hill was scheduled to be completed and reopened either this calendar week or shortly after.
There may be a brief additional closure for some technical adjustments down the road but for now it looks like clear sailing from Bristol to well up above New Hope.
This is welcome news both for serious and recreational athletes alike. The smooth, flat red clay surface and spectacular views of the Delaware River make it an attractive training location.
In addition, a number of competitive races – including the Bucks County Roadrunners Club’s Bridge-to-Bridge relay event – can go off as scheduled. The B2B is set for Sept. 28.
Assistant park manager Ron Gilliland said the completion of perhaps the most challenging project, the total rebuilding of the bridge accessing Amber Beech Kennels in Washington Crossing, was likely the most gratifying.
“Anytime we get one of these projects completed and get the towpath back open, it’s a sigh of relief for us,” said Gilliland with a chuckle in a telephone interview. “Every day that a section of the towpath is closed is another day we have to answer phone calls.
“Especially the work at Bowman’s Hill. It’s a beautiful area to ride bikes, utilize the path. The sooner we can have it open, the better for everybody.”
In addition to the crossing at Amber Beech Kennels and the segment near Bowman’s, work has been completed with the restoration of the bridge across the canal at was once David’s Library, just north of Washington Crossing Historic Park.
BCRR’s Joe Boyce appreciates all the work put into these restoration projects.
I’m grateful and excited that the towpath projects are being completed,” he said. “Not only do individuals run at the B2B, but as everyday runners, my friends and I are running up and down the towpath from Scudder Falls to Stockton regularly.
“It’s enjoyable having different options without having to turn around and retrace our steps due to a closure. The towpath is a gem for runners, bikers and adventurers who want to escape into the beautiful environment of the canal path while getting some exercise. We’re fortunate to have such a great place to get off the main roads.”
Another race which once utilized the canal path for its running segments was the Bucks County Duathlon. The run-bike-run event was held from 2010 until 2022 and raised more than $100,000 for the benefit of health-challenged former national-class triathlete Missy Flynn.
One of the issues with closures was the inability to do a long, uninterrupted run or ride. A number of people headed over to the New Jersey side or moved either north or south of the construction work on the Pa. side during the past year.
“I know there are a lot of bikers using the path that had to turn around with those bridge detours,” said BCRR’s Bill Schaffling.
Schaffling noted that with the opening of the new Scudder Falls Bridge and its shared use path a couple years ago, cyclists now have several options, including Washington Crossing, Scudder Falls and Calhoun Street Bridge in Trenton.
As for running on the “giving” clay surface, it sure beats pounding out the miles on hard road surfaces.
“I find running on the canal path is much less stressful on the joints compared to running on asphalt,’’ said BCRR’s Jim Marshall, “especially when trying to increase the mileage for marathon training. The different loops available with the bridges let us vary the routes and keep it interesting.”
The DCNR should also be applauded for keeping the authentic “camelback” look of the two rebuilt bridges in and around Washington Crossing.
The styling is so unique that the Bucks County tourism folks use the distinguished orange structures in their television ads in New York and Philadelphia.
“It’s very important to keep the integrity of the canal,” said Gilliland, a native of western Pennsylvania who was transferred by the park system to Bucks about two years ago. “Clearly these are not all period-correct bridges (there are five that are over the entire 60-mile span of the canal) but we’re trying to keep the aesthetics as close as possible with the stonework and the trusses.
“The canal is a national historic landmark. Because of it, you want to maintain that. To keep that aesthetic look for the canal, it’s huge.”
>Race calendar
Saturday
Belmont Plateau Hall of Fame Classic 5K (cross-country), 9 a.m., Philadelphia. Contact www.runsignup.com
