Introduction

The Lehigh Valley Transportation Study (LVTS) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Lehigh and Northampton counties. MPOs are federally mandated transportation planning organizations responsible for transportation policy-making. Their operations are federally funded. MPOs collect data, analyze trends, assess needs, and determine priorities to identify current and future transportation projects. MPOs are responsible for completing a variety of transportation planning activities, plans and programs. Some such examples include:

The completion and adoption of these documents, among others, ensures that the Lehigh Valley remains eligible to receive federal financial assistance to fund infrastructure improvements.

2020 Obligated Projects

This listing shows all money obligated for highway, bridge, transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects within Lehigh and Northampton counties. The use of federal transportation funding is authorized by the current multi-year transportation bill approved by Congress, Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act). It allows the US Secretary of Transportation to authorize funding to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) across the US, through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Federal funding is then allocated to states based primarily on population data from the US Census Bureau. State allocations are then distributed to individual MPOs and Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs) based on formulas developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and representatives of MPOs and RPOs. These formulas take into account population, vehicle miles traveled, truck vehicle miles traveled, roadway surface conditions, lane miles, structurally deficient bridges, all bridges and the region’s air quality classification.

Distribution of federal and state transportation funds are limited to specific funding categories. Each category has access to different restricted pots, or buckets, of money. Those buckets of money include:

• Special Federal Funds – They’re earmarked by members of Congress for specific projects that were allocated under previous transportation funding bills.
• Surface Transportation Program – This is flexible funding that may be used by states and localities for projects to preserve and improve the conditions and performance on any Federal-aid highway, bridge and tunnel projects on any public road, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and transit capital projects, including intercity bus terminals. This program includes Surface Transportation Program - Urban funds for use in urbanized areas.
• Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Urban/Transportation Alternatives Program/Surface Transportation Enhancements/Safe Routes to Schools funding – These classes of funding funnel money to “transportation enhancement” projects that improve the network for bicycles, pedestrians and other non-motorized forms of transportation, including off-road trails and bicycle education programs.
• Highway Safety Improvement Program – These funds go to features that promote safety and reduce crashes, such as guiderails, traffic signals, signage, rumble strips, etc.
• Bridge On Network Funds – This money is used for the rehabilitation, replacement or preservation of bridges that are greater than 20 feet in length and located on roads eligible for federal financial aid.
• Bridge Off Network – This money is for bridges greater than 20 feet in length and located on roads not eligible for federal funds.
• Congestion Mitigation Air Quality – This money is for projects that reduce emissions and improve air quality in areas designated as not meeting air quality standards, including the Lehigh Valley.
• National Highway Performance Program – Funds for federally eligible highway and bridge projects on roads on the National Highway System, excluding Interstate System roads.
• Federal Flood Funds – Special federal funds used to mitigate storm impacts to infrastructure.
• 5339 Funds – Federal grants to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities, including technological changes or innovations to modify low or no emission vehicles or facilities.
• 5307/5340 Funds – Goes to urbanized areas for transit capital and operating assistance in urbanized areas and for transportation-related planning.

The following table indicates where federal money was spent on the transportation projects in 2020. It also includes future financial programming that reflect changes to anticipated project funding.

2020 Deobligated Projects

The following table indicates where federal money was programmed greater than actual project costs in 2020. It also indicates that future financial programming is not necessary. The federal money allocated to these projects is then applied to other projects in need of investment.

2020 Accomplishments

In total, more than $87 million was invested – or obligated – in 2020 to advance 70 projects across the region. Most of the money, nearly $50 million, was spent on construction with the rest being spent in the pre-construction phases. In addition, roughly $4.3 million was saved – or deobligated – on projects that were reduced or came in under budget. That savings is eligible to be committed to other projects listed in the Lehigh Valley’s $2.5 billion Long-Range Transportation Plan. Detailed below are several key projects that were completed in the Lehigh Valley in 2020.

Projects Currently Under Construction

Any Questions?

Contact the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission/Lehigh Valley Transportation Study

961 Marcon Boulevard, Suite 310

Allentown, PA 18109

Phone: 610-264-4544

Email: planning@lvpc.org