Bethlehem's Walnut Street Garage is set to come down. Where will permit holders go in the meantime?

• Displaced Walnut Street Garage parkers soon will be designated to a new location based on proximity
• Bethlehem Parking Authority held a displacement information meeting on Wednesday
• For events such as Musikfest and Celtic Classic, LANTA and shuttles could help, officials say

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Current Walnut Street Garage permit holders will be designated soon to one of the facilities at the North, Spring and Broad streets, Bethlehem Parking Authority Executive Director Steven Fernstrom said Wednesday.

Fernstorm said permitted parkers will be allocated to their new garage locations based on proximity.

That comes following a recent city council decision to tear down the deteriorating garage at 33 W. Walnut Street.

Demolition is set to start at the beginning of the year, though completion of the new facility is estimated for the end of 2025 if all continues on schedule.

The options

North Street Parking Garage should have the capacity to serve the current Walnut Street Garage parkers, officials said.

The transient parkers will be allowed to also use the North and Spring Street lots, and additional on-street parking accommodations will be offered during the project.

The featured presentation listed the garages on North, Lehigh, Spring and Broad streets as potential displacement parking facilities.

In total, those four lots offer nearly 1,300 total spaces, though the actual availability is 657: 390 at North Street, 15 at Broad Street, 163 at Spring Street and 89 at the Lehigh Lot.

Jim Zullo, president of THA Consulting, said officials determined parking numbers at the North and Walnut Street garages by using data occupancy counts from a peak day last month, confirming a total of 802 spaces across both facilities.

The North Street Garage alone features 800 spots.

A similar study in February came up with a similar result on the peak use day, using about 790 spaces at that time.

The following timeline was provided by parking officials:

• Oct. 4: Walnut Street Garage permit holders were notified of the facility’s closure to come in January 2024
• Oct. 16-27: Respective permit holders will receive details on new parking location, relocation date as well as further instructions
• Nov. 6: Relocation process begins 
• January 2024: The Walnut Street Garage will be closed

Those working on Main Street may end up being able to use the Spring Street lot below Hotel Bethlehem and the Historic Industrial Quarter.

Fermstrom said those using that lot who work nearby could be able to take advantage of a lower-cost hospitality permit.

Fernstrom said he and other parking officials are in talks with Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites about the potential use of that lot for that purpose.

“We hope that we’re going to come to a good conclusion, where we’re going to be able to offer the public this as a displacement permit area,” Fernstrom said.

He recommended that those interested in that lot get on the wait list for potential parking, as conversations with HBMS are ongoing.

A peak demand holiday study from Dec. 10, 2022, showed that 93% of the Walnut Street Garage was used while the North Street Garage was 61% occupied, with about 310 more spaces available.

Spring Street still had about 100 spaces for use and Lehigh Street had 89.

What about big events each year?

During events such as Musikfest and Celtic Classic, Northside parking demand “will exceed supply with the loss of Walnut Street Garage,” the slideshow reads.

To combat that, officials are set to make more use of Southside parking facilities and more than 800 total spaces across the Riverport Garage, New Street Garage and Polk Street Garage.

Major events also could see collaboration with existing transit services and shuttles to get people across the river to the festivities.

“BPA has worked with LANTA to support their EBS [Enhanced Bus Service] route, which provides a bus-rapid transit option throughout the Lehigh Valley,” the slideshow reads.

Maximum wait times are said to be 15 minutes and some Bethlehem stops include Bethlehem Transit Center (North Street Garage), City Hall/Fahy Bridge North, Fahy Bridge South, Southside Station near Polk Street Garage and Wind Creek Casino.

On-street parking, more

There also is available on-street parking areas in residential zones that are “underutilized,” Zullo said. They could be used for weekday parking from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the BPA slideshow.

Those areas include the streets north and east of the North Street Garage as well as south and east of the Walnut Street Garage. About 25 weekday permits per zone “could be available,” the slideshow reads.

To guide incoming parkers to the other facilities, the parking authority plans to implement way-finding signs on the major routes into the downtown, including Route 378, Broad Street, New Street, Center and Linden Streets and even Main Street.

Current signs directing drivers to the Walnut Street Garage are planned to be removed.

'Give us a little bit of time'

Someone asked if they could challenge the BPA relocation decision if they ended up not wanting to park in their new lot for whatever reason.

“Give us a little bit of time because there might be opportunities,” Fernstrom answered.

“As we see the system flow and as we get a good handle on people’s out-times, in-times, maybe we’ll be able to open up a little bit more.”

Parking rates would also be “flexed,” Fernstrom said, meaning that if somebody happened to be moved to a street lot instead of a garage, that rate would be adjusted accordingly.

BPA holds board meetings every fourth Wednesday of the month at 85 W. North St.