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Residents ask Bethlehem council to act after repeated crashes on Pennsylvania Avenue
Summary
Residents described multiple vehicle crashes on the 1100–1200 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue and urged the council to pursue measures such as painted lane lines, targeted enforcement or other short-term fixes while the city develops a larger Complete Streets plan.
Reverend Bruce Stevenson, who lives at 1216 Pennsylvania Avenue, told the Bethlehem City Council that his household and neighbors have had multiple cars hit and totaled on the 1200 block and nearby streets.
"This is an issue of safety now," Stevenson said, describing three vehicles lost by his household and two additional crashes since he last spoke to the council. Maritza Figueroa, a neighbor, said her son’s car was totaled in front of her home last month and asked the city for a painted white line similar to Eaton Avenue to remind drivers the street is single-lane.
The council treated the concerns as both a short-term enforcement question and a longer planning issue. Councilwoman Leon asked how a traffic study could be triggered and whether a painted line would qualify; city staff said past evaluations were not convinced a painted line alone would solve the problem and noted ongoing resource constraints. "We weren't convinced that a white line is going to solve the safety concerns," a city representative said.
Mayor Reynolds said the city has executed a federal contract that requires a Complete Streets plan for major corridors and that the consultant Kittleson has been hired to produce a framework for handling collector roads across the city. Reynolds said the plan will provide a "lens" to determine which treatments — from line painting to bump-outs — are appropriate for particular streets, but that the city would not wait to consider urgent, localized fixes.
Staff and council members discussed several near-term options: targeted speed enforcement, additional patrols, a field visit by the traffic engineer with council members and residents, and the possibility of painting lane lines on a trial basis for a short stretch. Deputy Chief Mike (police) was present and council members asked whether extra patrols could be scheduled. Public works staff agreed to provide an estimate for line painting and to revisit the site with the traffic engineer.
The council did not adopt a formal ordinance or vote specifically on Pennsylvania Avenue at the meeting. City staff were directed to inspect the area, provide cost and maintenance information for a painted white line, and report back to council; no formal policy change was approved at the meeting.
Next steps the council identified were a walk-through with the traffic engineer, a memo/estimate from the public works department on line-painting cost and maintenance, and consideration of short-term increased police presence while the Complete Streets plan is finalized.
