Latest in a series of posts on the pedestrian bridge 
City Council votes on providing funds for a feasibility study of a pedestrian/biking bridge tonight. Gadfly encourages you to back this study before Council votes by emailing Council members by noon today if possible or whenever you can today (Clerks@bethlehem-pa.gov) and/or by calling in to the meeting during public comment (see instructions here).
Mansion Bridge, Jim Thorpe
photo credit, Dana Grubb
Dear President Waldron and Members of Council,
I’ve had mixed feelings about this project from the start mainly because I feel both the City and PennDOT missed a huge opportunity to include this feature on the Fahy Bridge when the bridge was refurbished 2-3 years ago. In my view that was a perfect opportunity for an improved pedestrian-biking crossover between the north and south sides of Bethlehem.
That being said, as the City’s former grants administrator I believe that leveraging $40,000 of city funds to gain an additional $100,000 from outside sources is wise. Yes, in total it is all considered public funding, but this is the type of leveraging that is smart business for Bethlehem.
Should Bethlehem build the bridge that this study will address is a question for a future date. However, a number of cities across the country have been able to achieve these kinds of community improvements, so why not examine the possibilities through completion of this study?
I believe City Council should advance this study so that the question can be analyzed and recommendations can be reviewed. Then, and only then, can the heavy lifting of designing and constructing a pedestrian bicycling bridge be the topic for further consideration. As a frequent cyclist on the D&L Trail near the Jim Thorpe area, I will tell you that construction of the Mansion Bridge, for pedestrian and bicycling use across the Lehigh River, has been a major boon for tourism in the Jim Thorpe area and is used heavily. The first anniversary of its completion was recently celebrated and I attended. I would suggest Members of Council make a visit to see how something like this can be benefit a community.
Thank you,
Dana Grubb
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Supporting the study:
ref: Interviews with design firms yield new insights into the utility and value of a pedestrian/biking bridge across the Lehigh
ref: Add your name to the many organizations endorsing the pedestrian/biking bridge feasibility study
ref: A pedestrian/biking bridge: “The possible is a big deal”
ref: Gadfly “talks” bridges with Councilman Callahan
ref: One cyclist hurt, one killed
ref: Act Now!
Against public funding:
ref: Let’s fund the study and the bridge privately
Against the study:
ref: A better use for the pedestrian/bike bridge money?
City Council votes on providing funds for a feasibility study of a pedestrian/biking bridge tonight. Gadfly encourages you to back this study before Council votes by emailing Council members by noon today if possible or whenever you can today (Clerks@bethlehem-pa.gov) and/or by calling in to the meeting during public comment (see instructions here).
