Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Thanks to a message from President Waldron, we now know what the next step on the Packer Avenue pilot study will be: “Council will not be discussing or voting on Packer Ave Tuesday. There is a communication on the agenda for a Use Permit Agreement, which we will be voting on Feb 18th. That is for the temporary closure.”

The temporary closing of Packer is slated for March 16 to the end of April, followed by assessment of results, and a decision by the Mayor. If the Mayor decides to move forward on a permanent closing of Packer, we are looking at a good several months before this issue comes before City Council.

That’s a long time. But once on his hobbyhorse, there is nothing Gadfly can do but hold on and ride it to the end.

So please bear with him another 2-3 posts till he gets Packer Avenue out of his system for a while.

While reading the Lehigh University 2012 Master Plan, he could not help focusing on what is said about the City.

Quite a lot actually.

Among the “Campus Master Plan Guiding Principles” we find:

• Leverage the presence of the University to better integrate the campus and South Bethlehem.

Among the four “Campus Master Plan Key goals” we find:

• Participating in the Renaissance of South Bethlehem
  Helping revitalize South Bethlehem and the partnerships needed to achieve that will allow for distinctive student experiences and will make it an asset in recruiting students, faculty, and staff.

Let’s sample some of the rhetoric describing Lehigh’s vision of the town/gown relationship:

Lehigh University’s campus is bordered by a neighborhood that is undergoing great change. While there remains great opportunity, there have been tremendous strides taken in South Bethlehem in recent years. There is a sense of optimism about the neighborhoods. The SteelStacks complex offers a focal point for music, arts and conference space. Thousands congregate in the summer months to hear free concerts at a pavilion built just in front of the stacks. The open space created by the Greenway has created pedestrian and recreational activity in South Bethlehem. First Fridays draw thousands more to patronize shops and restaurants. Still, there are challenges posed in revitalizing a formerly industrial city. Creating sustainable economic vitality, stabilizing neighborhoods and improving housing conditions, enhancing the quality of student rental housing, supporting the quality of public schools and ensuring safety in the neighborhoods require continued focus and effort. Lehigh University is actively engaged in the community. This Campus Master Plan builds on that engagement and outlines some paths the university might take to positively benefit South Bethlehem.
Frederick J. McGrailVice President, Communications and Public Affairs

“Lehigh’s future success is inextricably tied to that of the local community and the region. Universities serve as anchor institutions for cities, and the strategic role Lehigh can play in bringing about positive change is significant.
”Strategic Plan for Lehigh University, 2009

Lehigh University and South Bethlehem have a shared history stretching back to the early industrial development of the Lehigh Valley. With the closing of Bethlehem Steel, the former industrial center is transitioning to new sources of economic and cultural activity. The University provides a critical anchor within the community and in the region. The close physical connection between the campus and South Bethlehem’s neighborhoods creates opportunities for engagement. The University and the community share an interest in fostering a safe, stable, and vibrant urban environment with a diversity of housing and employment opportunities and a pedestrian-oriented retail district. Building on this history and the momentum of existing plans and programs, the Campus Master Plan identifies a place-based real estate strategy for engagement and partnership in South Bethlehem. In addition, as one possible example, the South Bethlehem Catalyst identifies the reuse of the Lehigh-owned Service Building as an initiative that can support both the University’s academic vision and the revitalization of the neighborhood.

The Master Plan chapter describes “Three Place-based Strategies”:

• Area improvement through acquisition or rehabilitation
• Develop a dense mixed-use housing project through partnership
• Participate in a neighborhood improvement district

These strategies are very interesting. Here is the place where the Lehigh rhetoric rubber meets the road. Gadfly will see if he can’t arrange to copy out and post this important section (for us) of the Master Plan.

But how are you feeling about what you’ve read so far?

to be continued . . .

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Somebody has to send Gadfly back to bed.

But planning is aphrodisiac.

So Gadfly started to think, ok, what will Morton St. look like if more traffic is shunted down there when (if) Packer is closed between Vine and Webster.

He was prompted by the comment by the guy at the January 23 Broughal meeting to the effect that closing Packer only shifts the pedestrian safety issue one block down.

And then he remembered the “South New Street Streetscape Enhancement” project final public meeting in March 2019, almost a year ago.

You remember, right? The plan to do a make-over on New St. from the Fahy Bridge up to Lehigh’s Campus Square (Farrington Square).

Pretty exciting. A wild bus stop proposed on New at the Greenway!

Now, like the Lehigh Master Plan, this is a “plan,” and Gadfly doesn’t know if the February 22 concept design proposed at that March 26 public meeting is a done deal.

But here is one rendering of the proposed make-over in that concept design of the “end” of New at Morton at the edge of the Lehigh campus.

The sweeping arrows show the pedestrian flow on and off campus there at the plaza area between the bookstore (where you can feed your mind) and The Cup (where you can feed your belly).

And the new design elements seem to be a long bump-out of some sort on the south side of Morton along the plaza and bump-outs on both corners of New and Morton.

Bump-outs are traffic-calmers, they “narrow” the sense of the road for drivers, and they also shorten the distance pedestrians need to cross.

Now this intersection of New and Morton can be busy. Fairly recently there are large transit buses coming south on New and turning east on Morton and traveling east on Morton from Vine.

The intersection can also be a bit crazy — think end-of-day rush hour when traffic on New backs up to Morton because of the long traffic light on 4th — think Thursday lunch when the Farmer’s Market is there.

Is putting more traffic on Morton because of a Packer closing a good idea?

Just thinking out loud. Isn’t planning fun?

to be continued . . .
(you’ve got to be kidding! Get a life, Gadfly!)

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Gadfly loves a plan.

Planning is creative.

Gadfly authored and collaborated in many a plan during 50 Lehigh years.

He used to say planning was aphrodisiac.

So this Packer Ave. thing has aroused him about as much as an 80-year-old man can be aroused.

It’s given him incentive to look at plans.

Here’s an interesting thing that he found in Lehigh’s 2012 Master Plan, the one operative now.

There are on Lehigh’s campus “existing hot spots” and “proposed hot spots.”

An existing hot spot is marked by the arrow on the left of this illustration. It maps a heavily traveled student path from the traditional center of campus at the flagpole across Packer Ave. (which, interestingly, is color-coded for “traffic calming”) at the trouble spot we all know, and continues on to Campus Square at Morton St., debouching [good SAT word] on to New St. heading toward 4th. Thus the students flow toward the Southside business district.

But lookee here.

On the right another arrow shows a proposed hot spot brooking Packer a little farther east (but still before Webster) and continuing down to Morton, where it debouches into Adams St. on the way to 4th so that you can catch a meal at Jenny’s.

Not one but two heavy traffic streams crossing Packer.

Now this is a 2012 Lehigh Master Plan. Already aging a bit. And Plans are just “plans.” They change. They die. Who knows if it’s still operative in all aspects.

But we know that there’s a Lehigh building boom going, and Gadfly was impressed by the number of elements he read about in the Master Plan that have been or are being achieved. Somebody on the Hill is checking off the boxes.

The Master Plan doesn’t explicitly say so, but it suggests that Lehigh may be “engineering” another pedestrian safety situation.

Thus, we might bank on that second crossing creating even a greater need for doing something about the traffic flow on Packer.

But, even so, does “traffic calming” — the label the Lehigh Master Plan pins to Packer — need to morph into traffic purging?

to be continued . . .

(Gadfly, have you nothing to write out besides the possible vacation of Packer?????)

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Gadfly is a bit confused about whether the temporary closing of Packer Ave. is a done deal. Newspaper reporting indicates that it will be voted on by Council at the next meeting — February 4.

Gadfly would have thought that the Mayor could make that decision and that Council would come in to play if, on the basis of the study of the temporary closing, the Mayor decides that a permanent closing is a good idea.

If Council votes February 4, it would only be on the temporary closing that enables the traffic study, and such a pilot study makes sense both technically and politically.

Gadfly sorta knew this day would come, and thus back in primary time early in 2019, he used the Packer Avenue closing as one of the series of questions he asked Council candidates to answer and that they graciously agreed to answer.

Gadfly pauses to acknowledge again the absolutely great cooperation the candidates gave in answering in detail and with care that list of 8 questions. Unparalleled!

It might be interesting now to look at their answers to this Gadfly prompt. He was not really looking for their opinion on whether closing Packer Avenue was a good idea or not. He was looking for how they would approach making a decision.

On March 24 [2019], The Brown and White, the Lehigh University student newspaper, reported that Lehigh was exploring a pedestrian walkway on Packer Avenue, presumably between Brodhead and Webster Streets. Such a street “vacation” – should it ever be formally and officially proposed – would ultimately come before City Council for final disposition. Without prejudging how you would vote on such a now hypothetical proposal, describe what factors you would need to consider before reaching a decision.

Michael Colon

Grace Crampsie Smith

J. William Reynolds

Paige Van Wirt

Gadfly was interested in a picture of how their minds operated when faced with a major decision.

Gadfly thinks they are going to be faced with such a real decision on Packer Ave. in the relatively near future.

Lehigh backed off in 1976. Gadfly is not sure that will happen now.

to be continued . . .

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

ssider is known to Gadfly but prefers to remain anonymous.

Hi, Gadfly,

I’m curious about John Rothschild’s last statement.

Southside residents and longtime Bethlehem folks (and perhaps others?) do use Packer as an W/E and E/W route.

I rarely choose the bigger more congested streets.

Faster to weave through the eastern area once Packer ends than to go 4th. And 3rd is just ridiculous these days . . .

Also: Love the idea of the city working to reduce the no. of FedEx trucks in particular. Truck traffic is too heavy, and really bad for air quality over here now.

ssider

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

• Gadfly says again that this didn’t feel like a neighborhood residential “community meeting.” Though realizing that sometimes the public just doesn’t turn out till the very moment of crisis, he still wishes he knew more about how this meeting was publicized.
• Lehigh estimates that around 70% of the parking in the section that will be closed is by Lehigh people. In effect, this street area is a Lehigh parking lot.
• An important question is where those displaced parkers will go. The fear is taking up neighborhood residential spaces.
• Gadfly said earlier that he wasn’t sure what the Parking Authority was studying, but a review of the audio indicates they are studying precisely this question, where the displaced Packer Ave. parkers go.
• Gadfly thought this briefly-made point strong, though it received no response. A man said that since all that was happening was that the traffic was being routed one parallel block down from Packer to Morton, he could not see that the connection with South Bethlehem (one of Lehigh’s goals) was improved. In effect, the border was just moved one block.
• Dana Grubb made good comments about unforeseen future impact on vehicles and walkers as new developments on east 3rd st. bring new conditions and pressures. In response the Mayor mentioned the possibility of reconfiguring the ramp off a new Hill to Hill bridge to give us another east-west street. That was interesting.
• City Council will have the ultimate decision if the Mayor decides closing Packer is a good idea.
• If the Mayor’s decision is to close Packer Avenue, there will be another public meeting before City Council votes on the matter.
• Breena Holland suggested that the data collected be available to the public to see before the Mayor makes his decision and that a meeting be held so that the public might inform that decision. “Well, we’ll consider that,” said the Mayor.
• Questions were asked about gathering qualitative data, questions that got not much response.
• Paige Van Wirt made the excellent suggestion of using the City web site to gather people’s responses. The Mayor liked that. [Gadfly could be a depository for such comments as well.]
• By the way, 3 Council members were present: Crampsie Smith, Negron, Van Wirt.**

** Gadfly has been advised that Councilman Colon may have been there. Sorry, Councilman, if I misspoke.

to be continued . . .

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Please forgive Gadfly’s awkward attempt at visual aids!

Let’s play some games.

How will the closing of Packer Ave. between Vine and Webster affect your travel pattern, or how do you think it will affect others? Where will the traffic that normally goes east-west and west-east on Packer go? What will be the new normal?

It’s good that “they” are doing a pilot study to find out. Makes sense. Technically and politically.

image 1:

Poor acoustics in the Broughal auditorium made hearing hard, so Gadfly could be wrong, but what he understood is that the traffic study planned by Pennoni (The Bethlehem Parking Authority is doing a study too, I believe — not sure what that consists of)  would only cover the Packer-Vine-Morton-Webster-Packer rectangular route around the closed area on Packer. Is that all that needs to be looked at?

No — a lot of discussion at the Broughal January 23 meeting was about widening the study to 3rd and 4th St. on the north and to Montclair and Carlton on the west.

So here’s where we play some games.

image 2:

Suppose you were coming off the 2nd St. ramp (the circle on the top left) and heading to the Hillside area (the circle on the bottom right) and were used to going south (up) Brodhead to Packer — might you not now go east on 4th and make a right somewhere to get to Hillside?

image 3:

Suppose you were coming from 378/Wyandotte/Summit onto Brodhead (bottom left) and were used to turning east on Packer. You might, as the traffic study supposes, use Vine-Morton-Webster to get back on Packer. But you could go down Brodhead to Morton. And if Morton backs up at your travel times (likely), you might then go down to 4th or 3rd to head east.

image 4:

If the traffic study only covers the area in image 1, several people — including the principal — strongly pointed out that it would not cover the extra traffic at drop-off and pick-up times at Broughal or the impact of increased traffic on walking patterns of students as well. Safety concerns were expressed. One audience member pointed out that makers of an earlier traffic study weren’t even aware that Broughal was there.

image 5:

Several audience members pointed out that the study area had to be widened on the west to Montclair and Carlton because, especially if traffic is slow or backed up on Morton, drivers coming from 378/Wyandotte/Summit will be cutting down those streets to get an advantage.

image 6:

Suppose you are coming west on 3rd or 4th heading for Summit (the circle on the bottom left) onto 378/Wyandotte and used to cutting south to get up to Packer. Now that you can’t get through on Packer, what will you do? Probably stay on 3rd or 4th till you get past New.

What other traffic game-scenarios would you like to play?

So the case is made for widening the study to 3rd and 4th to the north and west to Carlton and Montclair. There will probably be traffic impacts in these areas.

Now the sense was that the Mayor, Lehigh, and the study organizers were on board with the changes in the scope of the study.

The surprise was that it took the audience to point these things out.

That did not give Gadfly a lot of confidence in the studiers.

They started with a pretty narrow focus on the impact of their project.

to be continued . . .

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Follower “comments,” as Gadfly has often pointed out, can get lost because of the WordPress format.

So that me collect a few here to make sure they get visibility:

• Yes, even if through truck traffic is banned, there are still plenty (too many) delivering to SS businesses & residences. (Peter Crownfield)
• The mayor’s comment [‘it’s been talked about for 2-3 decades’] means, I suspect, that it was first proposed 20–30 years ago — NOT that it’s actually been talked about very much over the years. (Peter Crownfield)
• Additional crosswalks could be an alternative that would help student experience — but would make it even worse for drivers than it is now. I don’t think there’s a huge payoff in terms of connecting students to SouthSide, but eliminating even a small barrier won’t hurt. We’re still missing data about the pedestrian experience, but seeing students basically stepping out to force vehicles to stop is at least an indication that something is amiss. (Peter Crownfield)
• Why not close the road to truck traffic? And no truck or van deliveries on Packer. Lower speed limit to 15, strictly enforced. (John Rothschild)
• I see 3rd and 4th streets as east/west routes, but how does Packer Ave. imitate that? It doesn’t. (John Rothschild)

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Breena Holland is an Associate Professor at Lehigh University in the Department of Political Science and the Environmental Initiative. She is a past and current director of Lehigh University’s South Side Initiative.

Gadfly:

Response to Bill Gontram: Yes, I have also noticed an increase in truck traffic on 3rd Street. Last spring my students did a black carbon air monitoring project on 3rd Street. During the afternoon rush hour, there were a lot of tractor-trailer trucks going through the south side. Many of them were Fed Ex trucks. I agree this area should have truck traffic restrictions put on it. The city is not cleaning the ice off the south side of Third Street and so anyone walking on that side of the street is at risk for slipping off the ice in front of a massive truck, as well as other vehicles. But putting the ice problem aside, I believe that when the traffic on 22 gets backed up, the trucks take the route through South Bethlehem to get to 78. It’s a mess that we can probably address through road restrictions.

Breena

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

The January 23 Broughal public meeting was a few people in a large auditorium with dim lighting and without mics — not ideal for recording. Sorry, you may need to put your audio volume setting at the highest level.

Closing Packer Avenue is a pretty big step.

The Mayor has said it’s been talked about for 2-3 decades.

Gadfly senses a big push now. Lehigh is really on the move in this area. It is poised to gobble up this portion of Packer.

But people at the meeting wisely asked about options and alternatives: crosswalks, traffic light, pedestrian bridge. In other words, alternatives to achieve the same goals.

Here are two sections of the conversations that Gadfly has patched together. Listen particularly to Lehigh response at the end of the second section.

“Nothing’s being planned right now . . . We are in fact-finding.”

This later audience comment on the same topic of options/alternatives was not really addressed at all.

Interesting.

to be continued . . .

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

The January 23 Broughal public meeting was a few people in a large auditorium with dim lighting and without mics — not ideal for recording. Sorry, you may need to put your audio volume setting at the highest level.

A Lehigh student questioned each of the three goals Lehigh laid out for closing the section of Packer Avenue between Vine and Webster.

Safety: how about an additional crosswalk?

Connection between Lehigh and South Bethlehem: how would pushing traffic down a block help that?

Improve pedestrian experience: any data to show that it’s bad now?

The answers might not seem very satisfactory:

• safety is not a prime goal
• congestion can help — to a certain degree — the urban experience
• part of a Lehigh pattern of closing roads

Interesting.

to be continued . . .

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

The January 23 Broughal public meeting was a few people in a large auditorium with dim lighting and without mics — not ideal for recording. Sorry, you may need to put your audio volume setting at the highest level.

Gadfly loves your participating voices. Public meeting: democracy in action.

But let’s begin with a Gadfly question that eventually elicits as firm and as declarative a response from the Mayor as he has heard in his 16 months on duty. In this clip, the ever skeptical Gadfly asks if closing Packer Avenue is a done deal (the phrase that always makes Gadfly shudder).

“No decision has been made to close Packer Avenue Period.”

Let’s listen to the Mayor again. The meeting was ending. The Mayor was giving thanks when I think it was Kim Carrell Smith who wedged in one last question that importantly elicited from the Mayor his sensitivity to the dark history of Lehigh interaction with the Southside as well as another statement of his goals regarding the Lehigh/City relationship.

Very poor quality. Turn the volume up. Be patient. Important words.

“You just don’t change the whole feeling of a community in a matter of years.”

So the Mayor of course is aware of a history of ill will in the community toward Lehigh (Gadfly always suggests that you browse the “Lost Neighborhood” web site), is aware of lingering resentment.

Which begs the question, was the neighboring residential community aware of the meeting? If so, it would not seem that community was well represented at the meeting. A few posts ago Councilwoman Olga Negron even questioned calling it a “public meeting,” wondering, for instance, if Broughal parents were notified.

So a man asked about the “community engagement” plan for the meeting. A good question.

“For the promotion of this meeting, what was your methodology?”

Aside from the fact that the “invitation” was translated into Spanish, that question was not answered.

Remember that we did the City Communication Survey last year. That was mainly about how we communicate with the City. We need to think the other way around. How does the City communicate with us in a case like this?

There was a message in English and Spanish on Facebook January 15 — 8 days before the meeting. Gadfly’s no expert on announcement timing, but that may be too far ahead, and a follow-up might have been in order.

But is Facebook the best way for the specific Southside community that should be reached for this purpose? What do you think?

And was this the only thing done? Gadfly wishes Lehigh administrator Adrienne McNeil had given more information.

Was the City aggressive enough in getting the word out and stirring up attendance? Has this pilot program been discussed at the Southside Task Force or Southside 2020 or other groups? Were notices in the Hispanic Center? Whatever.

We hope.

to be continued . . .

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Bill Gontram is a Philly transplant happy to find a nice quality of life on the Southside.

Gadfly:

Has anyone noticed the increase in truck traffic specifically on 3rd and 4th Streets? And especially tractor trailers bearing the FedEx logo? FedEx drivers use the corridors as a cut-through from/to I-78 to/from Route 378. Other truckers probably do it too depending on what their GPS might be saying at any given time. If Packer Ave is taken away as an east-west route, then big tucks, excepting through traffic on 378 (perhaps), should be restricted to local deliveries only.

Bill

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Looking east on Packer:

 

Looking west on Packer:

 

How much time will the detour take? The answer will surprise you.

to be continued . . .

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Dana Grubb is a lifelong resident of the City of Bethlehem who worked 27 years for the City of Bethlehem in the department of community and economic development, as sealer of weights and measures, housing rehabilitation finance specialist, grants administrator, acting director of community and economic development, and deputy director of community development.

Gadfly,

And this good idea should be lauded. However there are things at play that are working to accomplish this, that don’t involve closing a city-owned street. University housing on Brodhead Avenue, a new classroom center at Morton and Webster Streets, and now proposed university expansion at Webster Street and Packer Avenue are connecting the campus with the business district. Collaboration between city and university police departments to create safety are helping to do that as well. However, as I stated that night [at the Broughal public meeting, January 23], continued development on the Southside is drawing more and more activity, pedestrian and certainly vehicular, and more of both creates conflict particularly just to the west of the campus and certainly to the north and east. Whatever design and implementation is advanced for South New Street from the Fahy Bridge to University Square may certainly affect traffic and pedestrian flow, both positively and negatively. Certainly having a new parking garage in that short stretch of S. New Street already has. This entire situation needs to be a finely tuned dance, because small missteps in one neighborhood will have substantial impacts in others. And, the sense I get is that residents are growing tired of being the ones stepped on.

Dana

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Brent Stringfellow, a Lehigh University Vice President

Lehigh believes that there are a “number of benefits” in the closing of this section of Packer Ave.

The closing of this section of Packer Ave. would:

1) Enhance safety:

• huge crossing point
• 1000 at peak times
• bad at dusk

2) Better connect Lehigh with South Bethlehem to have more foot traffic supporting the businesses:

• use this to better connect Lehigh with the Southside
• reknitting parts of the north campus with the central core campus (flagpole area)
• opportunity to shift the center of gravity
• which is starting to happen with the construction of the new buildings now going on
• and Lehigh’s renewed focus on activities in Southside Bethlehem
• traditionally Packer Ave. has been a border line
• it is still an emotional border
• looking to put Lehigh closer to the community

3) Improve the pedestrian experience for everyone walking across Packer Avenue:

• walking and biking not only for the Lehigh community but the Southside community as well
• nice way to move in the east-west direction
• push the whole community toward more bike-friendly areas
• tie in as an endpoint to the upgrading of New St.

to be continued . . .

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Peter Crownfield is officially retired but spends most of his time working with students in his role as internship coordinator for the Alliance for Sustainable Communities–Lehigh Valley.

Gadfly:

I agree with Dana that “community concerns” have a priority, and I frequently oppose LU plans.

That being said, I think we need to remember some things on the points Dana listed: (1) LU also needs good access for emergency vehicles; (2) this should have little to no impact on safety for Broughal students (in fact some might choose to take that route); parking on Packer was not metered until around 10 years ago; any perception of lack of concern by LU students is more likely the result of a general lack of activism and/or a general assumption that it is going to happen. (We should also remember that many students were vehemently opposed to closing University Drive but that has worked out very well IMO.)

I do think there should be a clear presentation of relevant data as Dana suggested!

Anyone who’s been at Packer & University Walk at busy times of days know that masses of students need to cross Packer, and I’ve seen vehicles backed up past Vine and almost all the way to Webster.

I think it should have been done years ago.

Peter

Gadfly would point out that the concern for Broughal students was walking on the now more highly traveled streets because of the closing of Packer, a concern expressed by the school principal.

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Mayor Donchez introduces the public meeting on the temporary closing of Packer Ave. , January 23.

• I have worked very hard to form a partnership with Lehigh University.
• We have an excellent relationship.
• My goal has been to try to get Lehigh off campus and have more students in the community.
• And in the last few years [Lehigh] has had offices move off-campus.
• Ambassadors, housing inspectors, I could go on and on.
• We really have a very good working partnership and a very good relationship.
• We want that to continue.
• No decision has been made to close Packer Ave.
• [studies done over the past year]
• We will analyze the data [on this traffic study] and then we will meet.
• There’s a process [his decision and then to City Council].

to be continued . . .

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside 

Olga Negron is a Bethlehem City Councilwoman.

Gadfly:

I agree with Dana, and I’m concerned the consequences are more negatives than positives. Also, I still can’t believe they called that a “Public Meeting”  — more than half of attendees were city administrators, Lehigh employees, or project-related staff,  and the other half was in great majority Lehigh students. I wonder how they advertised it. I doubt the community knew about it. At least families from Broughal Middle School should have been made aware.

Olga

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Dana Grubb is a lifelong resident of the City of Bethlehem who worked 27 years for the City of Bethlehem in the department of community and economic development, as sealer of weights and measures, housing rehabilitation finance specialist, grants administrator, acting director of community and economic development, and deputy director of community development.

Gadfly,

As you know, I also attended [the open meeting on closing Packer Ave. January 23], and I think it’s important to recognize that 4 Councilmembers (Van Wirt, Negron, Crampsie-Smith, and Colon) were also in attendance along with several city administrators and interim parking authority executive director Steve Fenstrom. This is not the first time that Lehigh has pitched the idea of closing this section of Packer Avenue, and I can remember former Bethlehem Deputy Fire Commissioner Gene Novak adamantly opposing this probably 20 years ago. My observations are that Lehigh University’s immediate desire is not being dealt with as comprehensibly as is necessary; Broughal Middle School student pedestrian safety is critical to this ever advancing; the BPA’s loss of 60+ metered spaces means $141,000 loss in revenue for an agency that relies on system-wide revenue to support its parking garage expansion projects; there does not appear to be any concern about the need to close this from Lehigh Students; little mention of less intrusive traffic calming measures took place; there was a shortage of base line accident (vehicular and pedestrian) data; and historically the Southside community is mistrustful of Lehigh University’s motives. At initial and face value, this appears to be an uphill proposal, and it is my belief that the community’s concerns should carry the most weight.

Dana

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

Charles Malinchak, “Bethlehem mayor: ‘No decision has been made to close Packer Avenue. Period.’” Morning Call, January 24, 2020.

Should Bethlehem’s Packer Avenue be temporarily closed to vehicles for a few blocks around Lehigh University? City and university officials held a public forum Thursday night [January 23] to discuss the question.

Packer Avenue fronts Lehigh University on the city’s South Side and the stretch of road poised to be open only to pedestrians would be from Vine to Webster streets from March 16 to the end of April.

Don’t get lost in visions of a spring stroll in the middle of Packer, because at this point it is only a idea, and according to Mayor Robert Donchez, who made a presentation at the forum at Broughal Middle School, “Let me be very clear. No decision has been made to close Packer. Period.”

About 50 people attended the presentation that lasted more than an hour, during which many asked questions about the impact the closure would have on South Side traffic, but no one bubbled over with excitement.

Lehigh University Associate Vice President of Facilities Brent Stringfellow was the lead speaker, who said closing the road could help dissolve the divide between the university and the South Side neighborhoods. “It’s an opportunity to shift the gravity and bring a more integrated community. Packer Avenue was a borderline,” he said.

Donchez said the city has developed a good relationship with the university and the idea of ceding the road to only pedestrians is not new. “This has been something talked about for 20 to 25 years,” he said.

One point made was the closure could enhance safety on a street with foot traffic predominated by Lehigh students.

Parking on Packer was another issue raised, and according to Bethlehem Parking Authority Interim Executive Director Steven Fernstrom the road has 64 metered spaces.

Another concern was whether the closure would create considerably more traffic on the surrounding streets, which Stringfellow said would also be a subject included in the Pennoni study.

Another area still being worked on is a method of getting community feedback about the plan now and when it is in place.

One person not feeling the excitement was Lehigh senior Nancy Kim, who said she didn’t see the safety angle of the plan and thought more crosswalks might be more beneficial. She also thought the closure appears to benefit Lehigh more than the South Side.

to be continued . . .

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

TONIGHT!

Pilot study: temporary closing of Packer Avenue
Public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 23 at the
Broughal Middle School Auditorium

Nicole Radzievich, “Should Bethlehem close this major street near Lehigh University?” Morning Call, January 16, 2020.

Gadfly’s trying to get some preliminary info out there for those who want to attend the meeting tonight — so that you can have some questions in mind.

Gadfly was able to get this PowerPoint prepared for presentation at our Environmental Advisory Council last May. It gives us a quicker way of grasping the gist of Lehigh University’s “Packer Avenue Promenade” project than the link to the full Lehigh report Gadfly gave you earlier.

Packer Promenade – Environmental Advisory Council

Also, here is an audio recording of the EAC meeting at which two Lehigh grad student contributors to the report discussed some of their findings. Old timers will recognize and enjoy the distinctive voice and style of Mike Topping, long-time City employee.

You will hear that the promenade is associated with Lehigh’s already implemented plan to be a walking campus and that the impact on Zoellner Arts Center seems to be a major concern

The Southside face of Lehigh is obviously changing with its “Path to Prominence” program.

There’s a bit of a building boom going on. There’s a new building well underway at Webster and Morton. And one going through the approval process at Webster and Packer.

One should also remember that South New Street from the Fahy Bridge up to Lehigh’s Farrington Square is due for a makeover.

Lots going on. We can’t lose sight of the good things Lehigh does for the Southside. Followers might remember that Gadfly enjoyed taking a leisurely, multi-post walk through the Sunrise on the Southside documentary.

But, as a follower just said to him, Lehigh looks out for itself.

One issue with the promenade might be parking. The two new buildings in the area mentioned above take off over 150 parking spaces. A small parking lot on Packer Ave. will be lost by the promenade. Street parking along Packer will also be lost.

At a Planning Commission meeting two weeks or so ago, Lehigh said that it has a surplus of 2000+ parking spaces on campus overall, 400+ on lower campus adjacent to the promenade, and 100+ in the Zoellner parking zone.

Gadfly suggests Lehigh be sworn under oath on those numbers.

Just sayin’.

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside

TONIGHT!

Pilot study: temporary closing of Packer Avenue
Public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 23 at the
Broughal Middle School Auditorium

Nicole Radzievich, “Should Bethlehem close this major street near Lehigh University?” Morning Call, January 16, 2020.

Impeachment closed early Wednesday night, and Gadfly found himself reading through the interesting “Sustainability Impact Assessment” the Lehigh class did on closing Packer Ave. between Vine and Webster and creating “The Packer Avenue Promenade.”

The study focused on six areas: sense of place, local business and the arts, the natural environment, traffic and transportation, pedestrian mobility, and safety and emergency access.

Lehigh “tasked” this graduate class to do the study, and Gadfly wonders if enough consideration was given to impact on the residential neighborhoods around Lehigh.

But then, he thought, are there really any residential neighborhoods left to be affected?

Has Lehigh sprawl finally succeeded in snuffing out the residential neighborhoods?

Anybody want to comment on that?

Here is a random collection of soundbites from the report that kinda jumped out at Gadfly.

• The goals of the proposed Packer Avenue Promenade project are to knit together the northern and southern halves of Lehigh University’s Asa Packer Campus and improve the safety and mobility of pedestrians.
• One of the main concerns with the proposed closing of Packer Avenue to vehicular traffic is the impact it will have on the local community and its relationship to Lehigh University.
• Packer Avenue is currently a relatively heavily traversed road with metered parking on both sides of the street. It is used primarily by people affiliated with the university, with university Transportation Services estimating that over 70% of the cars parked on Packer Avenue are Lehigh University affiliated.
• The Packer Avenue Promenade project follows a pattern of eliminating vehicle traffic from roads on the interior of campus. University Drive, Memorial Drive, and Library Drive, all now pedestrian walkways, have been closed to cars over the years.
• With ongoing potential to improve “town-gown” relations, we recommend that Lehigh University utilize this space to hold programming that is not only for the Lehigh University community, but also invites and includes all communities in Bethlehem.
• By making it more difficult or unpleasant to access Zoellner, we risk reducing utilization and attendance. This would have a significant financial impact on Zoellner itself, and would also impact any businesses that depend upon patronage associated with Zoellner events.
• With the traffic shunted from Packer Avenue to East 4th Street, an increase in congestion can be expected on East 4th Street and is indeed welcomed by local businesses. Conventional wisdom would dictate that congestion impedes growth, but this is not necessarily the case. In fact, economic growth is correlated with congestion until a threshold of 15-minute delay per trip is achieved.
• To improve upon the 2005 committee, and in order to work towards greater cohesion and communication between the Lehigh University and Bethlehem communities, committee members should also represent Bethlehem community members and institutions. This might ensure that affiliates of neighboring institutions, such as Broughal Middle School and St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, are not only aware of developments in the Packer Avenue Promenade project, but that they can also voice their concerns, ideas, and opinions regarding mobility and access.
• The proposed project is expected to improve pedestrian safety from assault and crime because Lehigh University would be able to replace and alter the lighting and design of the area, once Packer Avenue is transferred from the city to Lehigh University.
• The proposed project does not degrade emergency access for ambulances, fire trucks, and service vehicles on Packer Avenue with respect to accommodating service and emergency vehicles on the promenade and emergency vehicle response times.

Next Gadfly will post discussion of the promenade by Lehigh student contributors to the report at our Environmental Advisory Council back in May.

Latest in a series of posts about Lehigh University and the Southside 

Pilot study: temporary closing of Packer Avenue
Public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 23 at the
Broughal Middle School Auditorium

Nicole Radzievich, “Should Bethlehem close this major street near Lehigh University?” Morning Call, January 16, 2020.

Here is a “Sustainability Impact Assessment” on the proposed Packer Ave. closing performed by a Lehigh University graduate class a year ago.

Gadfly always says go to the primary sources. Let’s try to take a look before tomorrow night’s meeting (of course, the only other call on our time is an impeachment — history unfolding before our eyes).

Packer Avenue Promenade Project: Sustainability Impact Assessment (May 2019)

Conclusion

Sustainability considers impacts on human, environmental, and economic well-being. A Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) is an expansion of the traditional Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and represents a vital step toward ensuring that sustainability is adequately addressed during the project assessment process.

Lehigh University is exploring the possibility of closing Packer Avenue to traffic and converting it into a pedestrian promenade. In Spring 2019, Lehigh University graduate students conducted an SIA for this potential project. SIAs offer a comprehensive guide for decision-makers by laying out positive and negative impacts of a project as well as recommendations for mitigating negative impacts.

SIAs encourage using assessment tools most appropriate to the stakeholders and the impact being assessed. The Packer Avenue Promenade SIA identifies six key categories for assessment. Methods of assessment were tailored to each category and included literature reviews, interviews with experts and stakeholders, online surveys, and quantitative data collection. Local businesses, restaurants, and arts organizations were also interviewed.

The proposed project may have both positive and negative impacts. Among the most significant are improved aesthetics and prospective student experience, decreased stormwater runoff and greenhouse gas emissions, reduced exposure of students to harmful vehicular emissions, and impacts to accessibility and mobility. Our recommendations include, but are not limited to, addressing potential parking issues at
Zoellner Arts Center, implementing bioswales with appropriate vegetation, conducting further traffic studies that include the broader South Side area, appointing an implementation committee that includes non-Lehigh community members, providing alternative accessible transportation options, implementing programming in the new space to improve communal sense of place, and using tactical urbanism to test the road closure for effectiveness and approval before implementing the proposed project.

SIA is a new concept within minimal implementation requirements that provides Lehigh University and the City of Bethlehem the opportunity to be leaders in an emerging policy movement with global implications. Assessing the effects on community, environment, and economic well-being will promote Lehigh University and the City of Bethlehem as leaders in sustainability.