HANOVER TWP., Pa. - Wondering why so many schools are dismissing early today in the Allentown area?
It’s a traffic thing.
President Joe Biden is due to visit the Lehigh Valley this afternoon for the second time as president to tout his administration’s economic policies as the 2024 presidential campaign kicks in.
While the White House hasn’t given specifics, Biden is expected to make a number of stops this afternoon focusing on small businesses in Allentown and Emmaus.
When the president is moving on the ground, that means motorcades. And the presidential limo doesn’t idle.
Expect major thoroughfares like Route 22, Interstate 78 and local routes to be shut down while the president is in town.
In Bethlehem, Route 378 was closed before noon but not because of the president's visit. A serious crash in the northbound lanes snarled traffic near the Eighth Avenue interchange. Southbound traffic was still moving.
Whitehall Township police issued this warning on Facebook related to Biden's visit: "At multiple times, traffic disruptions will occur on our major commuter routes and subsequently cause delays on secondary connecting roads. We strongly encourage you to utilize mapping apps with traffic features such as Waze and Google Maps during this time."
Biden is scheduled to land at Lehigh Valley International Airport shortly after 1 p.m. and spend about three hours visiting different spots, according to the White House.
This will be Biden’s second visit to Pennsylvania in a week. Last week he paid a campaign visit to Blue Bell in Montgomery County.
In the Lehigh Valley, Biden is expected to focus his remarks on the economy and a new report that shows the inflation rate at 3.4 percent, down from double that percentage last year.
According to the White House, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley have been beneficiaries of Biden’s economic policies.
The White House says the Allentown unemployment rate is down to 3.9% — a 20-year low. Nearly 32,000 more workers in the Allentown area have jobs under Biden, and personal income is up over 3 percent after adjusting for inflation compared to before the pandemic.
Biden is expected to visit businesses that are making new investments.
While details of today’s visit haven’t been released, several school districts announced plans to dismiss students early because of the transportation issues expected because of the president’s visit.
East Penn, Parkland, Salisbury Township and Whitehall-Coplay school districts all expect to have students out the door and home by noon.
