DRG Salvages Natural Habitats During Scudder Falls Bridge Construction

Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission

Davey Resource Group performed freshwater mussel surveys, salvage and relocation, and monitoring at the I-95/Scudder Falls Bridge as well as a reforestation plan and a peregrine falcon management plan, and contributed to a redbelly turtle habitat assessment.

Balancing Natural Habitats With New Construction

The I-95/Scudder Falls Bridge, built in 1959, spans the Delaware River, connecting Lower Makefield Township in Bucks County, PA, and Ewing Township in Mercer County, NJ. The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC) and FHWA, PennDOT, and NJDOT initiated a project to replace the bridge and enhance 4.4 miles of I-95 nearby. Davey Resource Group (DRG) was key in conducting freshwater mussel surveys, salvage and relocation, and monitoring over five years. DRG also prepared a no-net-loss reforestation plan and a peregrine falcon management plan and contributed to a redbelly turtle habitat assessment. Highlights include a salvage and relocation effort in 2015, additional surveys in 2016, and salvage activities in 2016 and 2017, involving the relocation of numerous freshwater mussel species. DRG’s comprehensive monitoring, involving tagged individuals, extended from 2015 to 2020, with annual reports submitted to the NJDEP Endangered and Nongame Species Program, showcasing a diligent commitment to environmental conservation throughout the project’s lifecycle.

DRG helped salvage and relocate freshwater mussels during the Scudder Fall Bridge replacement project

DRG’s comprehensive monitoring involved tagging individual mussels and submitting annual reports to the NJDEP Endangered and Nongame Species Program.

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