Research begins on the future of the Washington Crossing Bridge as the commission that operates the span over the Delaware River decides whether it needs to be replaced, improved or left in its current state.

Initial talk of possible replacement earlier this year was met with opposition by locals in Upper Makefield.

The new years-long study will determine if the narrow span built for horses, buggies and Ford Model Ts should be replaced to accommodate an era of plump SUVs and immense four-door pickup trucks.

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission inked a contract with Philadelphia-based HDR Engineering, Inc. to begin in-depth analysis that includes scope of engineering, impact on the environment, and alternatives to the quaint, antique bridge, which is low-rated by users who must pull in their vehicles’ side-view mirrors each time they cross the river.

The deal with HDR cannot exceed $8,061,761.62, which will be paid for with toll money, not taxpayer funds, bridge commission spokesman Joe Donnelly.

The review is estimated to take 30 months, or until 2027, but could go longer.

The aim of the study is “to improve mobility and provide a safe and reliable river crossing for vehicles and pedestrians while ensuring the continued viability of businesses near the current bridge.”

Bridge battle Washington Crossing residents fight bridge replacement. They say history is on their side

It is not a green light to replace the bridge, a move that would result in blowback to the bridge commission from residents of Washington Crossing, site of Gen. George Washington’s embarkation on Dec. 25, 1776, among the most historic events in American history.

“Today’s contract award is a step forward toward determining what approach the commission should take with its aging, limited-capacity, safety-challenged Washington Crossing Bridge and its inherently poor customer-experience profile,” said commission Executive Director Joe Resta. “This environmental review will take years to complete. It’s a first step strictly limited to research and analysis.

“It does not authorize the hiring of a contractor and it certainly does not authorize design and construction of a new bridge.”

Public meetings will be scheduled on the progress of the study, and comment welcomed, officials said.

Residents have been adamant that the 119-year-old bridge remain, though it has no historic designation that protects it.

But the antiquated bridge’s small 7.5-foot-wide travel lanes (one each way) are inadequate for modern vehicles, and its metal trusses predate modern steelmaking methods, the commission said in a statement.

The span has “experienced structural deterioration and does not meet current design standards, which creates reliability and safety concerns.”

The bridge’s last inspection in 2022 rated it “fair.”

In 2023, it carried 2,609,703 vehicles across the Delaware River. That same year, commission bridge monitors turned away more than 2,000 oversized, overweight vehicles from crossing the span, which has a weight limit of three tons per vehicle.

JD Mullane can be reached at 215-949-5745 or at jmullane@couriertimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Washington Crossing Bridge study to begin, will determine future plan