Business Owners Raise Concern Over Planned Gas Main Project In Newtown

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — South State Street business owners brought their concerns to the Newtown Borough Council this week over plans by PECO for a utility project that will disrupt streets and sidewalks this summer in the borough’s southern end.

Beginning on or about July 1, PECO’s Natural Gas Division is scheduled to begin an underground
utility project to replace existing gas mains and associated service laterals connecting to properties along South State and Penn Street.

The project is expected to continue through the summer and into fall.

Kristofer Kwant, the majority owner of Triple Sun at 126 South State Street, read from a letter “expressing serious concerns” regarding the planned closure of South Street and West Centre Avenue which he said provides key access points to his business.

“Without access there is no foot traffic and without foot traffic there is no revenue. And without foot traffic I cannot meet my obligations. This has the very real potential of bankrupting my business," said Kwant.

“What attracted me to Newtown was how it prides itself on its vibrant small business community. We have woven ourselves into the rich tapestry of this area and the local culture, economy and character of Newtown," he continued. "Yet this action sends a contradictory message. It suggests that logistical convenience and upgrades take precedence over the livelihoods of families, business, and owners alike.”

Asharo Shapiro, who operates an art gallery on South State Street and who depends on foot traffic, expressed similar concerns. She asked for clear communication from the borough about when and where work would be taking place so she can pass it on to her patrons.

“I have workshops all the time and if the sidewalks are closed off I need ample time to communicate that,” she said.

Kathleen McCafferty, who owns the ProShop, expressed concern that the construction work could negatively impact her business. “It doesn’t seem like a long time, but for small businesses, it’s a huge amount of time. Is there a way to delay this for a year? Then we would have time to plan, to cut back on our inventory. We didn’t plan for this. Maybe we can pause it,” she said.

Kwant also called on the borough to “Immediately pause the planned road closures and convene a special working group of stakeholders to develop a mitigation plan, ensure transparent communication going forward, and explore alternative scheduling options with PECO that reduce disruptions such as night work, partial closures, or phased access strategies. Let’s work together to find a path forward.”

Council leaders said they will reach out to PECO and attempt to set up a meeting with borough business owners, but added that since it’s not a borough project they have little input on the project, including scheduling and logistics.

Borough manager Craig Totaro said he first heard about the project six weeks ago when he was contacted by PECO.

“We met about three weeks ago and I put together a notice, which I posted to our website," said Totaro. "We have no control over this. The reason they are doing this is because of high-efficiency appliances that require a higher-pressure gas and that higher pressure gas needs to be contained in thicker-walled pipes and that the conduit system needs to be upgraded to accommodate this level of efficiency.”

The work will take place on State Street between Centre Avenue and the railroad tracks, the 100 block of Penn Street between State and Chancellor and Centre Avenue between State Street and the creek.

PECO’s Natural Gas Division will be replacing existing underground gas mains and associated service laterals connecting to properties along South State Street and Penn Street.

According to Totaro, construction will proceed in small sections, starting at Centre Avenue and progressing south along State Street toward Freedom Drive/Fountain Farm Lane.

“What they will be doing is putting in a new main and then connecting to the properties,” said Totaro. “They will be in touch with all the property owners as they go.”

As part of the project, State Street will be fully closed in both directions, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for approximately two months only where the railroad crosses South State Street (500 South State Street).

The closure is necessary to allow for trenching and boring work under the railroad tracks.

“The typography and mechanics of going under the railroad - they have to go way down under and that’s why they have to close that area,” said Totaro. “During that one two-month period it (South State Street) will not be passable to get to the bypass and the same thing coming the other direction.”

Outside of the full closure, State Street will remain open but will be subject to lane shifts and controlled traffic patterns to safely accommodate excavation work while maintaining

pass-through access.

“It will probably be messy topography, but it will be passable and pedestrians will be able to get by and traffic will be able to go in both ways,” said Totaro.