Nov. 13, 2026
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Left turns will soon be banned at the busy intersection of Route 191 and Highfield Drive in Bethlehem Township because of “the high number of vehicle crashes at the intersection.”
The T-intersection where the western end of Highfield reaches Nazareth Pike (Route 191) is between Route 22 and the Bethlehem Square shopping center. On the west side of the crossing is Shammy Shine Car Wash, on the east side is a Perkins restaurant.
Drivers heading west on Highfield won’t be able to turn left onto the road known as Nazareth Pike, Route 191, and Linden Street. Vehicles going south on Nazareth Pike won’t be able to go left onto Highfield, and newly washed cars coming out of Shammy Shine won’t be able to go north on Nazareth Pike.
Everybody will have to go right.
The Highfield intersection and the Route 22 intersection just to the north are both risky zones. Highfield Drive leads to a residential area and is a route to Northampton Community College and the Country Meadows retirement home.
A date for the restrictions to go into place has not been set. The township is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to close the median.
I have gone through the intersection many times and seen just about every version of vehicular mayhem at Highfield and the Route 22 ramps.
Meanwhile, a proposal to reopen the former Exxon station at the intersection of Routes 22 and 191 as a convenience store lingers, with the potential to add more congestion.
Here’s the statement from Bethlehem Township:
NOTICE
TRAFFIC PATTERN CHANGE
Due to the high number of vehicle crashes at the intersection of Nazareth Pike (Rt. 191) and Highfield Drive, the Township of Bethlehem, in coordination with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, is closing the median to restrict all left turning movements at this intersection. Access at Highfield Drive and the Shammy Shine Driveway will be limited to right-in-right-out only. No left turns will be allowed at the intersection from any direction. See attached map of the intersection restriction.
Please notify employees, customers, and any company that does regular deliveries to expect this change in the near future.
Watch for advance warning signs, social media and township website posts for the exact timing of this turning restriction change.
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