Public Works

The Upper Makefield Township Public Works Department is responsible for maintenance of 56 miles of Township roadway and Township properties. This includes maintaining not only Township buildings and parks but also making sure Township roads are clear & safe for year-round travel. The Public Works Department is also responsible for maintaining street signage, including maintaining visibility (such as removing foliage obscuring the sign).

Problem Trees

The Township Public Works Department will field questions about problems with trees and direct you to the responsible party. Call them Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 215-968-3314.

Protecting Your Landscaping

Place sprinkler heads a minimum of 2 feet from the road’s edge. Place mailboxes a minimum of one foot from the road’s edge. The Township is not responsible for mailboxes damaged during snow plowing operations.

Pothole Reports

When calling in a pothole repair request, it helps to know if which entity maintains the road.

  • Call PennDOT at 215-345-6060 to report a pothole on a state road within Upper Makefield. You can also submit online to PennDOT’s Customer Care Center.
  • Call Upper Makefield Public Works at 215-968-3314 to report a pothole on a Township-owned road.
  • Call your Homeowners Association to report a pothole on a private road.

Not sure who maintains which road? Please view Roadway Ownership.

Right-of-Way – Clearing Brush

When a tree or brush blocks a road sign or a portion of a road’s right-of-way, Township Public Works will trim it back. Most roads have a 33-foot right of way, measured 16.5 feet from the center of the road to each side. The right-of-way on most roads is 33 feet, which is measured 16.5 feet from the center of the roads to each side. For example, a 20-foot-wide road cartway would extend 6.5 feet on each side of the roadway.

Roadway Ownership

PennDOT maintains these state roads within Upper Makefield:

  • Dolington Road
  • Pineville Road
  • Route 32
  • Route 532
  • Route 232
  • Stoopville Road
  • Street Road from Lurgan Road to Solebury Township Line
  • Taylorsville Road

Upper Makefield provides winter maintenance and plows these state roads under contract with PennDOT. Maintenance may be managed differently in each location.

  • Wrightstown Road
  • Stoneybrook Road
  • Eagle Road
  • Lurgan Road
Road Resurfacing and Maintenance

To keep aging roads passable, Upper Makefield Township annually resurfaces certain roadways within the Township during summer construction. Roads to be resurfaced are approved by the Board of Supervisors during the budget adoption. To clear away anti-skid and debris, street sweeping is completed in residential areas yearly in the Spring.

Stormwater Inlet Grates—Resident Responsibilities

Throughout the year, residents are required to keep stormwater inlet grates on their property clear of leaves and debris. If you notice debris inside the inlet box, please contact the Public Works Department to have it cleaned. This allows for maximum operation of the stormwater runoff system preventing or reducing flooding. Read more about stormwater runoff under Preservation.

Signs

The Township maintains road signs on Township roads and speed limit signs of 35 mph and under on PennDOT roads. If there is a road sign you would like added to a road, please send a letter to the Township explaining your reasoning, along with a drawing of where you think it should be placed. (This does not have to be done by a professional.) To report a missing or vandalized street sign, please use the Report a Concern form, scan and email it, or contact the Township.

Snow Plowing and Ice Removal

During the winter, Upper Makefield Public Works employees plow 56 miles of Township roads and more than 13 miles of State roads. When and who plows your road to manage snow and ice depends on maintenance contracts shared by Upper Makefield and PennDOT. PennDOT’s roads are plowed in a sequence focused on the region’s most heavily traveled roads. Upper Makefield’s focus is the same on a smaller scale: We work a sequence to clear the roads most traveled and on into neighborhoods. Both teams work continuously throughout a storm or until all roads are clear. PennDOT’s telephone number is 215-345-6060.  Email non-emergency concerns to PennDOT’s District 6 Customer Care Center. For all emergencies, call 9-1-1. Before Ice and Snow Arrive Help us plow faster and better by following these guidelines.

  • Do not park on the roadway when a snowfall of 4 inches or more is expected.
  • Residents in un-curbed developments should mark their lawns with 4-foot posts (you can also use reflective markers) approximately 2 feet from the road edge.
  • Remove trash cans and other objects from the roadway.

When shoveling:

  • Wait to clear snow from driveways until plow trucks have cleared all the snow from the roadway, or shovel to the right of your driveway to reduce snow pushback.
  • Do not put driveway snow in the roadway.

PennDOT Plows These Roads PennDOT provides snow and ice removal on these Upper Makefield area roads:

  • Dolington Road
  • Pineville Road
  • Route 32
  • Route 532
  • Route 232
  • Stoopville Road
  • Street Road from Lurgan Road to Solebury Township Line
  • Taylorsville Road

Upper Makefield Plows These Roads Upper Makefield provides snow and ice removal to these State roads:

  • Wrightstown Road
  • Stoneybrook Road
  • Eagle Road
  • Lurgan Road

PennDOT workers plow the rest of our State-owned roads. Any roads not dedicated to Upper Makefield or the state must be plowed privately.

Snow Removal-Mailbox Damage Policy Our crews do their best to stay clear of mailboxes while plowing, but sometimes accidents happen.  If you think your mailbox was damaged by direct contact with a Township truck or snowplow, please review our Snow Removal-Mailbox Damage Policy and Claim Form, and contact the Public Works Department at 215-968-3314 within 48 hours from the end of the snow event. We encourage you to take photos of the damage and do not discard the damaged mailbox before a Township inspection.