2022 ANNUAL LIST OF OBLIGATED

PROJECTS + ACCOMPLISHMENTS

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:

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

The high-priority list of highway, bridge, public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian projects to be implemented with federal funds over next four years.

LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN

Represents the long-term vision of the region's infrastructure, covering a period of at least 20 years.

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.

2022 Obligated Projects

This listing shows all money obligated for highway, bridge, transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects within Lehigh and Northampton counties Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2022 . The use of federal transportation funding is authorized by the current multi-year transportation bill approved by Congress and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). 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.
  • 35B0 Funds — Donor State Bonus Urbanized Funds (DON) currently utilized as Surface Transportation Program - Urban Funds.
  • Equity Bonus Provides funding to States based on equity considerations.
  • Bridge Investment Program — Provides funding for the replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, protection or construction of highway bridges over 20 feet in length.

The following table indicates where federal money was spent on the transportation projects in 2022. It also includes future financial programming that reflect changes to anticipated project funding.

Click Here for Listing of Obligated Projects

2022 Deobligated Projects

The following table indicates where federal money was programmed greater than actual project costs in FFY 2022. 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.

Click Here for Listing of Deobligated Projects

2022 Accomplishments

103
Obligated Projects

$103.2 Million

Invested

32
Deobligated Projects

$8 Million

Saved

In total, more than $103.2 million was invested – or obligated – in 2022 to advance 103 projects across the region. Most of the money, over $82 million, was spent on construction with the rest being spent in the pre-construction phases. In addition, roughly $8 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 2022.

Chestnut Street over Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge

Project: Replacement of the bridge carrying Route 29 over the Reading Railroad

Where: Borough of Emmaus and Upper Milford Township, Lehigh County

Status: Completed 10/27/2021

Cost: $14,409,445

Owner: PennDOT

Tilghman Street over Lehigh River & Railroad

Project: Rehabilitation of the bridge carrying Tilghman Street (Route 1002) over the Lehigh River and Corman Railroad

Where: City of Allentown, Lehigh County

Status: Completed 09/13/2022

Cost: $35,230,700

Owner: PennDOT

Route 22 Resurfacing 15th Street to Route 309

Project: Highway resurfacing of Route 22 from Route 309 to 15th Street

Where: South Whitehall and Whitehall Townships, Lehigh County

Status: Completed 08/24/2022

Cost: $14,830,325

Owner: PennDOT

Race Street Resurface

Project: Resurface of Race Street (Route 1004) from First Avenue in Catasauqua Borough to Airport Road in Hanover Township

Where: Catasauqua Borough and Hanover Township, Lehigh County

Status: Completed 01/25/2022

Cost: $1,341,291

Owner: PennDOT

FedEx Ground Roadway Improvements

Project: This project extends along Airport Road (Route 987) from north of City Line Road to the north side of Route 987 and Route 22 Interchange in Allen and Hanover Townships, Lehigh County. To mitigate impacts from the proposed FedEx Ground facility, Route 987 was widened to three lanes southbound within the project limits and intersection improvements were made at Postal Road (T-633)/Avenue A and City Line Road.

Where: Allen, Bethlehem and Hanover Townships, Lehigh County

Status: Completed 01/08/2022

Cost: $5,000,000

Owner: PennDOT

Route 22 Resurfacing 309 to I-78 Split

Project: Roadway resurfacing of Route 22 from the Route 309 Interchange to the Interstate 78/Route 22 Split

Where: Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County

Status: Completed 08/24/2022

Cost: $6,229,330

Owner: PennDOT

Route 3022 from Old 22 to Main Street

Project: Resurfacing and guide rail upgrades to Route 3022 (Old Route 22)

Where: Weisenberg Township, Lehigh County

Status: Completed 12/21/2021

Cost: $2,064,377

Owner: PennDOT

Lehigh Valley Transportation Study (LVTS)

High Friction Surface 2021

Project: Installation of High Friction Surface treatments at various locations in Lehigh and Northampton Counties.

Where: Various Municipalities, Lehigh and Northampton County

Status: Completed 11/03/2021

Cost: $400,000

Owner: PennDOT

Route 22 Resurface - 15th St to MacArthur Rd

Project: Resurfacing of State Route 22 from 15th Street to Route 145 (MacArthur Road)

Where: Whitehall Township, Lehigh County

Status: Completed 06/30/2022

Cost: $4,494,835

Owner: PennDOT

Palm Road Scour Repairs

Project: Preventative maintenance to the Route 2020 (Palm Road) bridge over Hosensack Creek

Where: Lower Milford Township, Lehigh County

Status: Completed 06/10/2022

Cost: $247,845

Owner: PennDOT

Route 512 Resurface S. Main St to Route 611

Project: Resurfacing Route 512 (Bill Scott Boulevard, Central Avenue and Mount Bethel Highway) from Main Street in Bangor Borough through East Bangor Borough to Route 611

Where: Bangor and East Bangor Boroughs, Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County

Status: Completed 8/20/2021

Cost: $3,254,256

Owner: PennDOT

Lehigh Valley Transportation Study (LVTS) Bridge Preserve & Repair 5

Project: Bridge preservation and rehabilitation contract for various bridges in Lehigh and Northampton Counties

Where: Various Municipalities, Lehigh and Northampton County

Status: Completed 04/12/2022

Cost: $3,948,076

Owner: PennDOT

Lehigh Valley Transportation Study (LVTS) Bridge Overlay Bundle

Project: This project involves the latex modified concrete overlay of various bridge decks in Lehigh and Northampton Counties

Where: Various Municipalities, Lehigh and Northampton County

Status: Completed 06/10/2022

Cost: $3,794,485 

Owner: PennDOT

Hellertown Main Street Pedestrian

Project: Bicycle and pedestrian safety improvement including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps, crosswalks, bump outs and bus shelter along Main Street (Route 412) at Thomas Street

Where: Hellertown Borough, Northampton County

Status: Completed 11/30/2021

Cost: $992,427 

Owner: Borough of Hellertown

Route 1004 over Tributary to Oughoughton Creek

Project: Replacement of the Route 1004 bridge over tributary to Oughoughton Creek

Where: Lower Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County

Status: Completed 09/28/2022

Cost: $1,048,512

Owner: PennDOT

Freemansburg National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Clean Up

Project: Mitigation of Erosion and Sediment deficiencies to close out National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) clean-up for Freemansburg Avenue/Route 33 project

Where: Bethlehem Township, Northampton County

Status: Completed 06/10/2022

Cost: $76,495 

Owner: PennDOT

Meadows Road Bridge Removal (County Bridge 15)

Project: Removal of the Meadows Road Bridge

Where: Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County

Status: Completed 07/18/2022

Cost: $235,215 

Owner: Northampton County

Heavy Duty Bus Purchase

Project: Three heavy duty buses were delivered and placed into service

Where: Various Municipalities, Lehigh and Northampton County

Status: Completed FFY 2022

Cost: $1,737,868 

Owner: LANTA

Heavy Duty Bus Purchase

Project: Seven heavy duty buses were delivered and placed into service

Where: Various Municipalities, Lehigh and Northampton County

Status: Completed FFY 2022

Cost: $2,496,182 

Owner: LANTA

Purchase Van/Minibuses

Project: Ten vehicles were delivered and placed into service

Where: Various Municipalities, Lehigh and Northampton County

Status: Completed FFY 2022

Cost: $962,690 

Owner: LANTA

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