Politics & Government
Joint Planning Commission Hears LANTA Update
On Sept. 15 a LANTA representative told Hellertown and Lower Saucon planning commission members about how site planning affects public transit.
At a joint meeting at Lower Saucon Town Hall Sept. 15, township and Hellertown planning commission members heard a presentation from Owen O’Neil, of the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA), about the ways land use affects bus service.
O’Neil explained that LANTA does not expect local planning commissions to change their practices, but hopes they will take into consideration the need for bus service in the Lehigh Valley and how small changes in land development plans can be beneficial to all.
“The point we really want to make is municipalities really play a key role in (our) regional transit vision,” he said.
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According to O’Neil, 20,000 people use LANTA services everyday--half to travel to work and the other half for errands or recreational purposes.
O’Neil explained that public transit in the Lehigh Valley has not kept pace with demand. Since 1997, ridership has increased by 70 percent, while service has only increased by 25 percent.
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He said there are four key factors for public transit: service, sidewalks, site planning and centers of activity.
As for service, LANTA is looking into serving new destinations, installing about 200 new bus shelters, and changing its signs to match new three-digit route numbers.
O'Neil said sidewalks along key corridors are needed to connect neighborhoods, allowing bus riders to safely walk to stops.
“Sidewalks are absolutely vital to public transportation,” he said.
With regard to site planning, O’Neil said things such as setbacks, infill buildings and pedestrian networks throughout commercial sites affect transit immensely.
He explained that parking areas that are easy to negotiate for buses, as well as pedestrian crossings, allow buses to safely reach their destinations on time.
O’Neil also told the joint planning commission that centers of activity make transit more effective. He said mixed used zoning areas are beneficial because they allow buses to run efficiently throughout the day. In contrast, if an area is exclusively industrial, a bus would only need to run in the morning when people are going to work and in the evening when they are coming home.
O'Neil also told the commission that Lower Saucon and Hellertown are already doing some of the things he mentioned in his presentation.
"We are ready to work with you at the earliest time," he said.
