The Coalition for Appropriate Transportation opened its new office in the Walnut Street Garage at 33 W Walnut St., on Jan. 24 following an opening celebration.
According to Lehigh Valley News, the new acquisition nearly doubles the nonprofit’s office space, making it the first tenant in the renovated Walnut Street Garage’s retail spaces. The expansion gives the organization room to provide and expand its services.
Scott Slingerland, the director of the Coalition for Appropriate Transportation, said he’s excited about the new office space because its location gives the coalition broader access to the Lehigh Valley.
The Coalition for Appropriate Transportation offers assistance to anyone who commutes by walking, biking or taking public transportation. Individuals can visit the office to receive help finding practical transportation options and participate in the organization’s programs aimed at supporting the community, including its bike-to-work program and youth bike education program.
“We see (the youth program) as like driver’s training, starting at the age of 5,” Slingerland said. “If they start to understand the basics, they’ll have a better time and more success.”
Slingerland said one aspect of improving alternative transportation in the Lehigh Valley is behavior. He said drivers maintaining reasonable speeds, pedestrians and cyclists staying aware of their surroundings, and everyone obeying traffic laws can make a difference. Programs such as the organization’s youth bike education help foster that environment.
William Audelo, the captain of Bethlehem Police Department’s support services, said the department works closely with the organization to field complaints and suggestions in an effort to create a safer Bethlehem for all.
“As a community, we have to build a culture where we are putting pedestrians and cyclists in the frame of mind,” he said.
The department’s support services, which include the traffic unit, work with several organizations, including the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, municipal governments and The Coalition for Appropriate Transportation, to improve Bethlehem streets for pedestrians, cyclists and others using alternative modes of transport.
Audelo said the department contributes statistics and enforcement data and attends meetings such as the Citizen’s Traffic Advisory Commission, where residents can voice concerns and suggestions.
“(The Coalition for Appropriate Transportation) organization is a big part of that,” Audelo said. “We work hand in hand, fielding complaints and suggestions, and then working towards promoting a safer Bethlehem for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.”
Slingerland said another key aspect of the coalition’s mission is improving the built environment across the Lehigh Valley. That includes marked crosswalks, wider multimodal sidewalks, bike-friendly routes through trail connectivity, low-speed streets and public transportation that’s efficient in routing, service and frequency.
AJ Knee, the director of planning and scheduling for LANTA Bus Services, said increasing frequency is one of the agency’s current goals, though the spread of urban centers across the Lehigh Valley presents challenges.
“What we would need to do is fill in those gaps to make a continuous urban area where possible,” Knee said.
Knee said land ordinances play a major role in determining what can be built and where, and LANTA frequently works with municipalities and counties to promote transit-supportive land use and a built environment that accommodates bus service.
As a government-funded agency, Knee also said LANTA relies on organizations such as the Coalition for Appropriate Transportation to conduct outreach and advocacy work the agency can’t do itself.
“(The Coalition for Appropriate Transportation) doesn’t have the money for projects, but we have hopefully good ideas.” Slingerland said. “Whenever we see a problem area, we’ll go to a municipality and try to get improvements.”
The Coalition for Appropriate Transportation works with bus services such as LANTA and municipal departments in Bethlehem to make the city more accessible for alternative transportation. In collaboration with other agencies, the organization is advocating for multimodal sidewalks on the renovated Hill-to-Hill Bridge project, expanding connections along the Bethlehem Greenway to areas such as Hellertown, and working with municipalities on initiatives including Bethlehem’s Complete Streets plan.
According to Lehigh Valley News, the coalition has also become a community hub, with more than 250 active members in 2025 and more than 1,400 youth participants in its events.
Slingerland said with its new space in the Walnut Street Garage, the coalition will continue advocating for more sustainable and accessible transportation options throughout the Lehigh Valley.
“We want to show people that you could find a route more directly, and you don’t have to take a car,” Slingerland said.