{"id":36522,"date":"2025-11-17T12:35:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T12:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/36522\/"},"modified":"2025-11-17T12:35:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T12:35:10","slug":"two-way-streets-could-make-a-comeback-in-downtown-allentown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/36522\/","title":{"rendered":"Two-way streets could make a comeback in downtown Allentown"},"content":{"rendered":"

ALLENTOWN, Pa. \u2014 There soon could be a new flow in downtown Allentown \u2014 one officials hope will make the area more of a destination.<\/p>\n

City Council this month approved an application seeking $200,000 in state funding to determine the viability of converting some one-way traffic corridors into two-way streets.<\/p>\n

The study will identify data-driven recommendations for where those conversions can best improve safety and access for all users, according to a memo from Mayor Matt Tuerk\u2019s administration to council.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis project supports Allentown\u2019s vision of creating a safe, connected and thriving city by transforming streets to serve all users, not just vehicles,\u201d the memo states.<\/p>\n

Many streets in downtown Allentown and surrounding areas have been restricted to one-way traffic over the past few decades to make it easier for vehicles to access offices and stores, according to the city\u2019s Safe Streets for All plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of downtown serving as a place to travel through, these types of strategies will substantially support downtown as a place that people go to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Allentown’s Downtown Development and Urban Design Plan<\/p>\n

That strategy, which officially launched in April, aims to eliminate all serious injuries and deaths on city roads by 2030.<\/p>\n

The Safe Streets plan says two-way traffic streets slow down traffic, which would reduce the number and severity of crashes.<\/p>\n

It also improves mobility for drivers and cyclists, while reducing street crossings and walking distances, and helps boost foot traffic and visibility for businesses.<\/p>\n

The city\u2019s Downtown Development and Urban Design Plan \u2014 published more than a decade ago \u2014 recommended changing many of those streets back to two-way traffic and removing excess lanes to accommodate wider sidewalks and bike lanes.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of downtown serving as a place to travel through, these types of strategies will substantially support downtown as a place that people go to,\u201d that plan stated in 2014.<\/p>\n

Study benefits all road users<\/p>\n

Seventh and Linden streets could be targeted for conversions.<\/p>\n

They are among the city\u2019s five \u201chigh-injury corridors,\u201d where almost half of all pedestrian crashes with serious injuries have occurred.<\/p>\n

Allentown officials also have committed to ending pedestrian deaths through the city\u2019s Vision Zero strategy, which works in tandem with the Safe Streets initiative.<\/p>\n

\u201cInvesting in this study positions the city to make informed, cost-effective safety improvements that benefit residents, businesses and visitors alike.”<\/p>\n

Allentown mayor’s administration memo to city council<\/p>\n

The mayor\u2019s administration urged council members to support the $200,000 grant application \u201cbecause it directly advances Allentown\u2019s Vision Zero and [Safe Streets for All] goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInvesting in this study positions the city to make informed, cost-effective safety improvements that benefit residents, businesses and visitors alike,\u201d the administration\u2019s memo states.<\/p>\n

City officials also are weighing roundabouts at some troublesome intersections. <\/p>\n

A consultant on the Safe Streets initiative this spring presented renderings of roundabouts on Hamilton Street between Ott and 19th streets; and at the intersection of Union Boulevard, Airport Road and Irving Street.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ALLENTOWN, Pa. \u2014 There soon could be a new flow in downtown Allentown \u2014 one officials hope will…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":36523,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[119,2748,121,120,22533,11794,22534,22535,22536,22537,11798,22538],"class_list":{"0":"post-36522","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-allentown","8":"tag-allentown","9":"tag-allentown-city-council","10":"tag-allentown-headlines","11":"tag-allentown-news","12":"tag-allentown-roads","13":"tag-allentown-safe-streets","14":"tag-allentown-safe-streets-project","15":"tag-allentown-safe-streets-traffic","16":"tag-allentown-safe-streets-update","17":"tag-allentown-street-conversion","18":"tag-allentown-traffic","19":"tag-allentown-traffic-upgrades"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36522\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}