BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority at its annual meeting on Friday announced its proposed June service changes.
Some of those include service reorganization in the Whitehall/Allentown area, using destinations instead of cardinal directions (northbound, southbound, etc.) on signs, “detangling” service delivery with service types and changing system map colors to reflect operating days.
Here’s the slideshow shared on Friday at Bethlehem Town Hall, where about 15 people were present for the news.
Their concerns generally included a need for more service in the Slate Belt and more trip frequency all over to draw more people to use cars less often.
“LANTA Planning Department is consistently working to make sure changes impact riders as little as possible."Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority planning and scheduling manager A.J. Jordan
The authority foresees about a 4% reduction in June services.
“LANTA Planning Department is consistently working to make sure changes impact riders as little as possible,” LANTA Planning and Scheduling Manager A.J. Jordan said.
The organization will take the public’s emailed comments on the potential changes at surveycomments@lantabus.com through April 14. The final changes are planned to be released by the end of that month.
Jordan said a video of Friday’s meeting will be available on LANTA’s website early next week.
What's changing, what's not
Routes affected and other adjustments include:
- Whitehall/Allentown – Green Line, 103, 209, 210, 211, 319, 325, 504, 505, 603 (New Route 101 with more frequency in Southside, EBS Green Line stops, faster service to Whitehall Central (Walmart), new service to Whitehall-Coplay School District)
- West Valley – Blue Line, 102, 104, 218, 322, 503, 508, 613 (Service back to Allentown Comprehensive Treatment Center, more direct service from Lehigh Valley Hospital to Allentown, more frequency to Fogelsville)
- Fountain Hill/Bethlehem: 103, 108, 323, 327, 601 (Realigning 108 and removing 327 from Fountain Hill, on-time performance and service adjustments)
- Easton Area – 106, 214, 216, 217, 312, 507 (Improving connections in Nazareth and Northampton Crossing, more service to College Hill)
Not changing will be routes 105, 107, 220, 324, 402, 410, 413, 422, 423, 431, 441, 501, 502, 506, 605, 606, 701, 702, 703, 751, 752 and 753.
Seeing a logistical problem getting to work based on the changes? Have your human resources manager contact LANTA Rider Resources at 888-253-8333, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., or at surveycomments@lantabus.com.
Last year, LANTA announced it was closing its transit center on the Lehigh Valley Mall property, but a bus stop ultimately will remain.
The site is seeing half the ridership it did in 2019, Jordan said, while the Easton Transit Center has about doubled in service, respectively.
Commuter comments
Gabriel Moronta of Fountain Hill, said he frequents the 103, 108 and 327 routes.
“I think it’s a shame that they don’t have any bus from Fountain Hill to Whitehall anymore,” Moronta said.
“I think it’s a shame that they don’t have any bus from Fountain Hill to Whitehall anymore.”Gabriel Moronta, a resident of Fountain Hill who rides the LANTA bus daily
Employed at FedEx in Allen Township, Moronta said he has to take a further look at how the route changes will affect his day-to-day.
Jennifer Swann, board member with Coalition for Appropriate Transportation and a resident of Allentown, said if the buses ran more frequently, the Lehigh Valley would see more people riding them.
Having most of the routes running every 10-15 minutes would be ideal, she said.
