ALLENTOWN, Pa. — There soon could be a new flow in downtown Allentown — one officials hope will make the area more of a destination.
City Council this month approved an application seeking $200,000 in state funding to determine the viability of converting some one-way traffic corridors into two-way streets.
The study will identify data-driven recommendations for where those conversions can best improve safety and access for all users, according to a memo from Mayor Matt Tuerk’s administration to council.
“This project supports Allentown’s vision of creating a safe, connected and thriving city by transforming streets to serve all users, not just vehicles,” the memo states.
Many streets in downtown Allentown and surrounding areas have been restricted to one-way traffic over the past few decades to make it easier for vehicles to access offices and stores, according to the city’s Safe Streets for All plan.
“Instead of downtown serving as a place to travel through, these types of strategies will substantially support downtown as a place that people go to.”Allentown's Downtown Development and Urban Design Plan
That strategy, which officially launched in April, aims to eliminate all serious injuries and deaths on city roads by 2030.
The Safe Streets plan says two-way traffic streets slow down traffic, which would reduce the number and severity of crashes.
It also improves mobility for drivers and cyclists, while reducing street crossings and walking distances, and helps boost foot traffic and visibility for businesses.
The city’s Downtown Development and Urban Design Plan — published more than a decade ago — recommended changing many of those streets back to two-way traffic and removing excess lanes to accommodate wider sidewalks and bike lanes.
“Instead of downtown serving as a place to travel through, these types of strategies will substantially support downtown as a place that people go to,” that plan stated in 2014.
Study benefits all road users
Seventh and Linden streets could be targeted for conversions.
They are among the city’s five “high-injury corridors,” where almost half of all pedestrian crashes with serious injuries have occurred.
Allentown officials also have committed to ending pedestrian deaths through the city’s Vision Zero strategy, which works in tandem with the Safe Streets initiative.
“Investing in this study positions the city to make informed, cost-effective safety improvements that benefit residents, businesses and visitors alike."Allentown mayor's administration memo to city council
The mayor’s administration urged council members to support the $200,000 grant application “because it directly advances Allentown’s Vision Zero and [Safe Streets for All] goals.”
“Investing in this study positions the city to make informed, cost-effective safety improvements that benefit residents, businesses and visitors alike,” the administration’s memo states.
City officials also are weighing roundabouts at some troublesome intersections.
A consultant on the Safe Streets initiative this spring presented renderings of roundabouts on Hamilton Street between Ott and 19th streets; and at the intersection of Union Boulevard, Airport Road and Irving Street.
