— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Bethlehem’s Capital Plan includes proposals for traffic lights at two difficult intersections: East Boulevard and Linden Street, and Butztown Road and Easton Avenue.
Putting something in the plan does not mean it is going to happen anytime soon, but these intersections have been problems for years.
Southbound drivers on Linden Street who want to go left onto East Boulevard, toward Freedom High School, often hold up traffic. Drivers making wide turns don’t leave room for others to get around them.
Drivers headed toward Easton Avenue often have to wait a long time until there’s a gap or somebody lets them go left on Easton Avenue. Then there is another light at Easton Avenue and Willow Park Road.
Those two intersections are used by city residents and people who live in Bethlehem Township and to the east. The Butztown and Easton intersection in particular will see more use as 220 apartments are completed at the old Bethlehem Drive-In and another 61 go in across from the Giant shopping center on Easton Avenue.
Lights are also being considered for Linden Street and Elmhurst Avenue, and Third Avenue and Union Boulevard.
“Each intersection costs between $250,000 and $270,000,” according to the capital plan.
The capital plan is a long-term proposal, covering 2025-2029, and including items in it does not guarantee work will be done.
Bethlehem City Council will review the Capital Plan tonight (Tuesday, Oct. 1) at 7 p.m. during a meeting at Town Hall.
The meeting agenda is subject to change.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 