BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Linden Street traffic conversion project is speeding ahead, no two ways about it.
Well, that depends on how you look at it.
Yes, Bethlehem Planning Commission on Thursday unanimously voted to advance the project to city council.
As for no two ways about it, well, there will, indeed, be two ways.
The one-way corridor will be transformed into north and south motoring upon the project’s targeted completion in September 2026.
The Linden Street conversion will extend from East Fairview Street to East Church Street.
The project will cost just under $196,000 and is scheduled to begin in Spring 2026.
"This is a great plan."Robert Melosky, Bethlehem Planning Commission chair
The plan design will be reviewed by a number of city boards before final approval is considered.
Two engineers from Pennoni Associates Inc., a multi-disciplined engineering and design consulting firm, presented preliminary designs for the conversion to the planning commission Thursday.
“This is a great plan,” Planning Commission Chairman Robert Melosky said. “When Bethlehem Steel was still active, [a one-way street] was a great plan. But now, from a progress standpoint, this is a great idea.”
'High traffic'
The conversion will include:
- Street repaving
- 12-foot travel lanes
- 10-feet-wide parallel parking
- Traffic signal modifications at Goepp, Union and Broad street intersections
- New signal poles and mast arms for northbound traffic at Linden and Broad streets
- Construction of ADA-compliant curb ramp, adjusting of lane uses
- Pavement markings
- Removal of One Way and Do Not Enter signs.
“Linden Street has high traffic,” said Earl W. Armitage, III, an engineer out of Pennoni’s Bethlehem location. “About 13,000 vehicles a day use the street, and 3,600 when you get past Broad and Market.”
The Pennoni presentation stressed the project goals, including reducing vehicle speeds, travel time, minimization of on-street parking.
In also included improving walkability and wayfinding, or understanding how to get from Point A to Point B that involves route decision, monitoring the route and recognizing the destination.
'Hasn't made sense in decades'
The project is included in the Lehigh Valley’s four-year Transportation Improvement Program.
Funding support for the Linden Street transformation was secured in July when the city got a $3.7 million state grant for infrastructure, pedestrian and bike-safety improvements.
The Linden Street project received $1.8 million of that grant.
“The one-way traffic was put in place to move workers to and from Bethlehem Steel. That traffic pattern hasn’t made sense in decades.”Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds
The project falls within Bethlehem’s Complete Streets initiative to enable safe access for all users, including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
At a July news conference announcing the state grants, Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds said the time has come on Linden Street for “a safer, more connected and more community friendly approach.”
“The one-way traffic was put in place to move workers to and from Bethlehem Steel,” he said. “That traffic pattern hasn’t made sense in decades.”
