Letters to the Editor

PennDOT Has Imposed 'Havoc' on Hellertown [Letter]

Christine Widgren of Hellertown has written a letter to Gov. Tom Corbett about the traffic situation along Route 412 at the borough's north end, which she says constitutes 'a severe crisis of public safety.'

Note: The following letter is addressed to Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett. A copy of the letter was shared by its author with Hellertown-Lower Saucon Patch. Governor Corbett:  I am requesting that your office investigate the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's actions as they relate to the project of widening of Route 412 in Hellertown/Bethlehem.  I have never in my life seen such a traffic debacle that was done on purpose. Bad weather, serious accidents—I can understand. But this is beyond belief. I refuse to question the "planning" because whatever was done has nothing to do with the definition of "planning." We are in a severe crisis of public safety. We have been invaded and occupied by barricades and heavy equipment. It …

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Rt. 412 in Hellertown: Signs of the Times [Photos]

Detour placards and other signs related to the newest phase of PennDOT's Route 412 reconstruction project are abundant along Main Street at Hellertown's north end.

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New Detours Slow Rt. 412 Traffic in Hellertown

Barricades and detours related to a new phase of the three-year Route 412 widening project are making life difficult for residents, business owners and commuters in Hellertown and Bethlehem, particularly at rush hour.

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Part of Rt. 412 to Become Single Lane Monday: PennDOT

PennDOT has announced that road work will reduce a busy two-lane section of Route 412 to a single lane through March 30, 2014. The work is part of an ongoing widening project.

If you thought navigating traffic near the Route 412 exit on I-78 was already challenging, you may want to brace yourself for a reassessment. PennDOT—which is coordinating an ongoing three-year, $36 million Route 412 widening project—announced Tuesday that "traffic will be reduced from two lanes to a single lane on (Route) 412 north and south for roadway widening work" through March 30, 2014. PennDOT Engineering District 5-0 spokesman Sean Brown confirmed that it's a section of the road that's two lanes in one direction that will temporarily be reduced to one lane. The section that will be affected is between Wagner Avenue in Hellertown and Daly Avenue in Bethlehem, PennDOT said. The restrictions associated with this phase of the project …

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Road Work Planned This Week in L. Saucon, Williams

PennDOT says several township roadways will be impacted by road work scheduled for the week of April 8-12.

The following information was provided by PennDOT Engineering District 5: April 8-11 Daytime crack-sealing will be performed along Route 378 between Delaware Drive and the Lehigh County line, in the city of Bethlehem and Lower Saucon Township. Lane restrictions will be in place. April 9-10 Daytime drainage work will be performed along Applebutter Road between Ringhoffer and Lower Saucon roads in Lower Saucon Township. Lane restrictions with flagging will be in place. April 11 Daytime drainage work will be performed on Raubsville Road in Williams Township between Hexenkoph Road and South Delaware Drive (Route 611). Lane restrictions with flagging will be in place.

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Utility Work Near Rt. 412 Could Cause Delays

The work by Verizon will cause "short term stoppages" on Shimersville Road and Commerce Center Boulevard in Bethlehem March 1 and 2, according to a travel advisory.

Motorists who travel on or near the Route 412 corridor in Bethlehem may experience brief traffic stoppages Friday and Saturday because of utility work. According to a PennDOT travel advisory, the work will be performed by Verizon and will involve "overhead utility wire pulls" on Shimersville Road and Commerce Center Boulevard. Both of those roads intersect with Route 412 north of the I-78 interchange. According to PennDOT, while the work is being performed one lane of travel will be maintained in both directions on the affected roadways. Traffic on Route 412 in both Hellertown and Bethlehem is often subject to delays and pattern changes as a result of an ongoing, multi-million dollar widening and upgrade of the roadway between the I-78 …

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Hellertown Streetscape Project Underway

The downtown streetscape improvement project is focused on the area surrounding Borough Hall, which is at Main Street, Easton Road and Water Street.

A project that is supposed to improve both the aesthetics and functionality of pedestrian areas around Hellertown Borough Hall is now under way, according to Borough Manager Cathy Kichline. The project is the Borough Hall Streetscape Project, which is being funded by a Pennsylvania Communities Transportation Initiative grant. Kichline said in an email Tuesday that "improvements to the area will include a 'road diet'–decreasing the asphalt and creating a larger green space on the north side of Borough Hall, (and) reduction of the width of the pedestrian crosswalk from Borough Hall to the fountain from 102 feet to 24 feet." Other planned improvements include: An orange sign posted last week at the entrance to Easton Road--next to Borough …

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Expect Brief I-78 Traffic Stoppage on Tuesday

PennDOT has announced the following scheduled road projects in the Saucon Valley area this week.

Jan. 8 According to a PennDOT news release, there will be a traffic stoppage on I-78 between the Route 611 and Route 33 exits in Williams Township so blasting can be performed by a contractor working on a property owned by Chrin Brothers Inc. The traffic stoppage is expected to last about 15 minutes and will take place between 1 and 2pm, weather permitting. "There may also be delays for PA 33 south traffic at the interchange with Interstate 78," PennDOT said. Jan. 9-10 PennDOT maintenance forces will perform shoulder work/widening along Seidersville Road/Hickory Hill Road between Route 378 and Mountain Drive. The work will be performed between 9am and 3pm, weather permitting, and there will be lane restrictions with flagging in the work …

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I-78 Project Expected to Last Through July 2013

PennDOT has announced the following scheduled road work in the Saucon Valley area, including an I-78 slab stabilization project that will result in nighttime restrictions in Lehigh County well into next year.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced that the following road projects will be taking place in the local area this week. Motorists should expect delays and drive with caution if traveling through active work zones.

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Expect Lane Restrictions for Paving on Rt. 378

PennDOT announced Thursday that there will be paving occurring on Route 378 between Broadway in Bethlehem and Black River Road in Lower Saucon Township this week.

If you regularly travel Route 378 between Lower Saucon Township and Bethlehem, you should be ready to experience lane restrictions and delays Monday, Oct. 15 through Wednesday, Oct. 17, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). In a press release issued Thursday, the state agency said maintenance forces will be paving parts of Route 378 (which is known as Wyandotte Street in Bethlehem) between Broadway in Bethlehem and Black River Road in Lower Saucon Township. The work will be performed between 9am and 3pm and could be delayed in the event of inclement weather. Motorists are asked to proceed with caution through any work zones they encounter.

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