BETHLEHEM, Pa. — New partnerships with Bethlehem Parking Authority and Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority resulted in less traffic congestion at Musikfest this year, despite record attendance, the city said.
LANTA’s Blue, Green, and Gold Lines provided 23,811 rides across the Lehigh River during the festival — nearly four times the 6,219 rides in 2023 on the former North-South Transfer shuttle provided by ArtsQuest, the city said in a release.
"The growing #ParkOne and Ride initiative, coordinating BPA facilities with LANTA’s EBS Rapid Transit service, was amped up to the max during Musikfest."Bethlehem City release
Meanwhile, new parking options near LANTA’s EBS lines made finding a spot easier than ever, drastically cutting down on congestion in Downtown and Southside Bethlehem, according to the release.
"The growing #ParkOne and Ride initiative, coordinating BPA facilities with LANTA’s EBS Rapid Transit service, was amped up to the max during Musikfest," a Wednesday release from the city said.
ArtsQuest, the nonprofit organization that presents Musikfest each August, said the festival drew 1,449,000 people over its 11-day run July 31-Aug. 10.
That was up 429,000, or 42%, over last year and almost 9% over the previous high of 1,330,000 in 2023, ArtsQuest reported.
'Creating a safer environment'
“Having public transit connectivity and strong walkability near our garages allowed us to spread parking demand across the system," BPA Executive Director Steve Fernstom said.
"Visitors were able to quickly find parking near the 14 shuttle stops, reducing the number of cars circling the city to find parking.
"This aligns with our goals of reducing traffic, creating a safer environment for pedestrians, and fostering a more vibrant community.”
Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds said the city wants "to limit personal car traffic as we much as we can in Bethlehem. Welcoming over a million people in 10 days can make that a challenge.
"Goals were set and exceeded and that will give us momentum as we look at planning for next year’s festival.”Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds
"Thank you to LANTA, the Parking Authority and ArtsQuest for the incredible work to maximize our mass transit options and
reduce personal car use.
"Goals were set and exceeded and that will give us momentum as we look at planning for next year’s festival.”
Partnership to expand
ArtsQuest Director of Event Operations Eric Bauder said Musikfest guests and volunteers all appreciated the new service options.
"We did experience some longer than usual lines at Shuttleplatz North and South," Bauder said. "But catching the shuttles at the 12 other stops was quick and easy.
"We look forward to expanding that messaging next year to help guests get to their shows and events faster.”ArtsQuest Director of Event Operations Eric Bauder
“Many attendees weren’t aware of the other stops located throughout the festival. We look forward to expanding that messaging next year to help guests get to their shows and events faster.”
Since LANTA first rolled out its EBS service in 2021, Bethlehem Parking Authority has worked with it to coordinate boarding areas so guests could ride to both sides without needing to repark or pay additional meter rates.
The partnership will continue to expand this fall when LANTA’s Downtown Bethlehem EBS station will be relocated to the new Walnut Street Garage, the city said.
The new parking structure is nearing completion, and BPA plans to reopen the facility in time for the holiday season, according to the release.
More information on EBS service, including stop locations, fares and real-time departure information, can be found on the LANTA website.
