Lehigh County inter-governmental agencies are so awash in leftover Covid Funds, their elaborate websites are chocked full o'nutty ideas.
Becky Bradley of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission is so excited about landscaping the right of way along route 22. That right of way was supposed to be new lanes to abate the congestion, until Pat Browne redirected the funding into a new exit for a new Jaindl industrial park just west of Allentown. So now as you sit in the 4:30 crawl, you'll see new bushes between the road shoulder and fence.
Here in Allentown itself, we're trying to create a bottleneck around the statue in Center Square, by reducing the lanes on both Hamilton and 7th Streets. However, prance for joy at the new pollination garden to be installed in the former traffic lane. Other genius plans are center city bike lanes.... As if the predators who cannot afford low loud cars will use them. You don't see a lot of spandex and bicycle helmets downtown.
It wasn't all that long ago (the early 90's) when local businesses and individuals partnered with the Wildlands Conservancy to landscape the barren interchanges along the newer portions of I-78 in the city. The Lehigh Street interchange was one such project.
ReplyDeleteI guess the right-of-ways require full government involvement (and full government funding), and God knows the Wildlands has moved on from such labor-intensive projects to the much more lucrative business of skimming from government grants for unneeded projects.
My, how far we've come.
As to Bradley and the LVPC, hopefully one of the many studies we taxpayers have paid for over the years that recommended widening Route 22 also mentioned the right of way landscaping.
I'd hate to think that those studies were useless and the taxpayers were fleeced for them as well!
As to the Center Square redesign, I happened to be downtown last night as a couple of events (one at the PPL Center; one at Symphony Hall) were letting out at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThe streets were a bit backed up as cars exited parking garages, and I happened to notice a group of about 8 unlicensed dirt bikes held up amid the traffic on Hamilton (at the traffic light on 6th). Once the light changed, the bikers were freed up to continue to roar down Hamilton Street and pop their wheelies next to the now uncomfortable downtown visitors. I'm sure that left quite the impression on those attending the events that will draw them downtown again quickly (sarcasm intended).
More importantly though, isn't it time we taxpayers took out some parking and traffic lanes to make driving downtown even more difficult after such events? It would also allow those poor youngsters on the dirt bikes to continue on their way without having to stop for the rabble coming out of these events. We need some equity here!
After all, we wouldn't want the event attendees to feel too safe and linger at one of the many downtown eateries before they head home to the unbearable quiet of their suburban neighborhoods.
The money has to spent, the vultures will be circling until it is gone.
ReplyDeleteYou might have mixed up the Riverside Drive extension with some other project meant to provide access to the Jaindl waterfront project. The Waterfront Drive extension is a "transformative" link to be used by pedestrians, bicyclists and buses and will "increase properties values along the way in Allentown and Whitehall". It will also serve as an "empowerment corridor" by "providing job access to low income residents". In fact all the low income workers at LVPC will be able to use the transformative link to walk, bike or ride bus to their brand new high-end corporate office suites at Jaindl's new building.
ReplyDeleteanon@7:20: I hope your comment is satire. BTW, the Rt. 78 warehouse park and the waterfront are by different J brothers.
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