A one-way street through Bethlehem may be converted to allow two-way traffic.

Bethlehem City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to authorize Pennoni Associates Inc. to conduct a preliminary engineering design for the two-way conversion of Linden Street.

Currently, Linden Street only allows one-way traffic south between East Fairview and East Church streets.

The city awarded the engineering firm $24,000 to evaluate and detail what is required for the conversion, including traffic signals and improvements, and the associated costs. The study is required to be completed July 29.

Previous studies have estimated converting Linden Street into two-way traffic would cost $1.2 million, according to Mayor J. William Reynolds.

Reynolds said the engineering study will demonstrate to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation that the city is serious about the project, which may lead to expedited assistance from PennDOT for funding or approvals.

Converting Linden Street to two-way traffic has been a frequent topic at meetings with neighborhood residents and businesses in recent years, Reynolds said.

“Linden Street there from Fairview all the way down to Church essentially divides the neighborhood,” the mayor said.

Several residents expressed concern at Tuesday’s meeting that people often speed down Linden Street while driving. Converting it to two-way traffic would make the roadway safer, they said.

“One-way streets like Center and Linden diminish walkability for several reasons,” states a study, “The City Livable: Modest Proposals for a More Walkable Downtown,” which was conducted in 2009 by urban engineer Jeff Speck and can be found on the city’s website, bethlehem-pa.gov.

“The lack of opposing traffic causes drivers to speed, and the availability of alternative lanes puts drivers in a ‘road racer’ mentality,” the study states. “One-ways also distribute retail vitality in unpredictable and often damaging ways, such as when shops end up located on the path to work rather than the path home.”

City Councilwoman Hillary Kwiatek said a two-way Linden Street could be better for the neighborhood, calm speeders and improve street traffic for businesses.

“I think in the end it will turn out to be a great thing for the city if we’re able to make it happen,” Kwiatek said.

Converting nearby Center Street from one-way to two-way traffic has also been a subject of conversations, Reynolds said.

However, Center Street could prove to be more complex and difficult because it has more traffic signals and curb ramps and is longer than Linden Street, Reynolds said.

Previous estimates for converting Center Street to two-way traffic have been closer to $4 million, he said.

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John Best is a freelance contributor to lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.



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