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The Lehigh Valley is a 730 square mile region in eastern Pennsylvania. The Valley is located about 80 miles west of New York City and 50 miles north of Philadelphia. These cities and their surrounding market areas exert strong economic, demographic, and social impacts on the region.
In the 1730s settlers began the agricultural development of the Lehigh Valley. During the 19th and 20th centuries canals, railroads, and highways coupled with the manufacturing of steel, cement, heavy trucks and chemicals continued to transform the economy and the landscape. Today the region is home to nearly 635,000 people. Growth, development and immigration continue patterns of change that began 300 years ago.
There are 2 counties, Lehigh and Northampton, and 62 municipalities in the Lehigh Valley which include 3 cities, Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, 27 boroughs and 32 townships. In addition there are 17 school districts.
The Lehigh Valley
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Planning for the Future of
Lehigh and Northampton Counties
MODEL FLOODPLAIN
REGULATIONS UPDATE
The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC) first published model floodplain regulations in August 1975 in part as a response to the flooding events of Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The LVPC published revised model floodplain regulations in October 2007 in part to respond to the impacts of the flooding between 2004 and 2006 and to implement the policies of the 2005 Regional Comprehensive Plan and the actions in the region’s first Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2006.
Since the time of that 2007 publication, there have been many flooding events, nationally and regionally; significant changes to the National Flood Insurance Program and Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Suggested Floodplain Provisions; new 2014 floodplain maps in Northampton County; and an update to the Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2013. This guide reflect those events and updates.
LATEST NEWS
LATEST PUBLICATIONS
UPCOMING EVENTS
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LVPC Meetings
March 12, 2014
Executive Committee Meeting
March 25, 2014
Environment Committee +
Comp Planning Committee
March 27, 2014
Transportation Committee
+ Planning Commission
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LVTS Meetings
March 31, 2014
Technical Committee
LVPC Offices
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Training Events
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APA Webinar Series
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2014 Meeting Schedules
LVPC 2014 Meeting schedules are available for download via the following links:
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
Comprehensive Planning Committee
Lehigh Valley Transportation Study
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2014 Planning Web/Audio Training Series
Lehigh Valley Section of the American Planning Association & the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission are teaming-up to offer nine American Planning Association & Lincoln Institute of Land Policy audio/web conference training programs:
March 12, 2014 - Using Subdivision Regulations in the 21st Century (1 CM), 4-5 PM
Hosted by Bethlehem Township, 4225 Easton Avenue, Bethlehem
May 14, 2014 - Jane Jacob's Legacy & New Urbanism (1 CM), 4-5 PM
Hosted by Bethlehem Township, 4225 Easton Avenue, Bethlehem
June 4, 2014 - Introducing New Density to the Neighborhood (1.5 CM), 4-5:30 PM
Hosted by the LVPC, 961 Marcon Blvd, Suite 310, Allentown
June 25, 2014 - 2014 Planning Law Review (1.5 Law CM), 4-5:30 PM
Hosted by the LVPC, 961 Marcon Blvd, Suite 310, Allentown
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Will Allentown rebirth end the suburbs?
Cities will continue to attract jobs, businesses and additional investments in the years to come as lifestyles and demographics continue to evolve,
Link to the Lehigh Valley Business article.
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$1.27 Million Available for Lehigh Valley Transportation Alternatives Program Projects
The Lehigh Valley Transportation Study (LVTS) is seeking applications through a competitive funding process to award a total of $1.27 million in Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funds. The partnership program between LVTS and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is designed to build pedestrian and bicycle facilities, improve access to public transportation, create safe routes to school, preserve historic transportation structures, provide environmental mitigation, create trails projects that serve a transportation purpose, while promoting safety and mobility.
“TAP assists Lehigh Valley projects that don’t fit into the traditional bridge and highway funding silos,” notes Becky Bradley, Executive Director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission and Secretary for LVTS.
“We are very interested in projects that strengthen community connections to the transportation network.”
Applications are due by April 3, 2014, and local governments, transit agencies, natural resource or public land agencies, including federal agencies and school districts are eligible to apply.
The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission will be holding a kick-off meeting for interested project sponsors on Wednesday, February 26 at 4:00 PM, 961 Marcon Blvd., Suite 310, Allentown, PA. Program criteria will be available at the kick-off meeting and through the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission website beginning Monday, February 24th. Questions on the TAP may be directed to Michael Donchez, Senior Transportation Planner, Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, at (610) 264-4544.
LVTS is the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Lehigh and Northampton Counties and is responsible for meeting the federal and state planning requirements for transportation planning, ensuring the region remains eligible to receive federal transportation funds. LVTS also is responsible for allocating state and federal transportation dollars to highway, bridge, transit and TAP projects. The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission serves as staff and support to LVTS.
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Floodplain Management Forum
First ever forum will address new FEMA mapping, customizing floodplain management plans, discussion of the Biggert-Waters Act affecting flood insurance, options for lowering flood insurance rates and the debut of a model floodplain ordinance.
A special 3D science on the sphere flooding program will also be shown.
Hope you will join us!
WHEN
March 20, 2014,
8:30 a.m.–Doors open, Registration
9:00 a.m.–9:05 a.m. – Welcome + Introductions
9:05 a.m.–9:45 a.m. – David Berryman
9:45 a.m.–10:00 a.m. – Angel Gillette
10:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. – Rachel Hogan
10:30 a.m.–10:45 a.m. – Break
10:45 a.m.–11:45 a.m. – Dan Fitzpatrick
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. – Lunch + Rising Waters:
Global Climate & Flooding
WHERE
Nurture Nature Center
518 Northampton St., Easton, PA
SPEAKERS
• Dan Fitzpatrick, State Floodplain Manager,
PA Department of Community & Economic Development
• Angel Gillette, CEM, Northampton County
Emergency Management Services
• David Berryman, Chief Community Planner,
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
• Rachel Hogan, Director, Nurture Nature Center
• John Cosgrove, Docent, Physicist,
Nurture Nature Center
REGISTRATION
Fee: $10/person, (Seating limited to 100)
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Public Participation Plan
Lehigh Valley Transportation Study
Public involvement is a vital component of the
transportation planning process. Providing full disclosure of plans and programs not only during the development phase but also after the adoption of these plans and programs allows the general public the opportunity to be involved, comment on, and influence the development process. Every person, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, or socio-economic status should have the opportunity to take part in and influence the transportation planning process. This Public Participation Plan provides for and documents the methods utilized by the LVTS to achieve this outcome.
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Natural Heritage Inventory
The Lehigh Valley has many important natural areas worthy of protection, such as rare plants, threatened and endangered animal species, and high quality natural habitats. It is areas such as these that provide the hubs and nodes of the Lehigh Valley greenways network. The LVPC contracted with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program) to complete a study titled Natural Heritage Inventory of Lehigh and Northampton Counties Update 2013. This document was an update to the 2005 report (the original study was completed in 1999) and identifies the outstanding floral and faunal features in the Lehigh Valley. The project was financed in part by a Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Program grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. -
2012 Traffic Trends
The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC) annually conducts approximately 100 traffic counts throughout Lehigh and Northampton counties under a contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). Statewide, 9,100 traffic counts are performed annually. The counts are useful in monitoring traffic flows, determining traffic background growth rates, calibrating the regional travel demand forecasting model, projecting future traffic volumes, determining road design, allocating Federal funds, determining priorities for improvement projects, assessing air quality impacts, and maintaining congestion management systems. In addition, commercial realtors and developers utilize the data for marketing properties. This report documents the LVPC's 2012 traffic counting program, factors affecting travel growth, and compares traffic growth between statewide and Lehigh Valley roads by road function classification.
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Lehigh Valley Trails Inventory
This 2013 update, in addition to incorporating updated trail information, includes two new components: identifying priority trail gaps and providing guidelines to designing safe road crossings for trails. These two new components are part of a statewide effort by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to help organizations and municipalities to implement trail initiatives. There is a lot of interest in trails in the Lehigh Valley, and hopefully this compilation of current trail efforts will provide municipalities, counties, and conservation partners a tool in advancing the development of the Lehigh Valley trail network.
For a larger version of the map and table (24 x 36), please contact our office to purchase for $10.00, plus tax and shipping.
Lehigh Valley Trails Inventory PDF
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
961 Marcon Boulevard - Suite 310
Allentown, PA 18109
Phone: (610) 264-4544
Toll Free: (888) 627-8808
Fax: (610) 264-2616