2023 Annual Listing of Obligated Projects + Accomplishments

This listing shows all money obligated for highway, bridge, transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects within Lehigh and Northampton counties Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2023. 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:

They’re earmarked by members of Congress for specific projects that were allocated under previous transportation funding bills.

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.

Can also be labeled as Transportation Alternatives Program, Surface Transportation Enhancements and 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.

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.

This money is for bridges greater than 20 feet in length and located on roads not eligible for federal funds.

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.

Funds for federally eligible highway and bridge projects on roads on the National Highway System, excluding Interstate System roads.

Special federal funds used to mitigate storm impacts to infrastructure.

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.

Goes to urbanized areas for transit capital and operating assistance in urbanized areas and for transportation-related planning.

Donor State Bonus Urbanized Funds (DON) currently utilized as Surface Transportation Program - Urban Funds.

Provides funding to states based on equity considerations.

Provides funding for the replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, protection or construction of highway bridges over 20 feet in length.

The purpose of these programs is to provide funds to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from transportation sources. The CRPU provides five years of funding. Additionally, the CRPU funds are 65% of funds distributed to the urbanized area by population.

The purpose of this program is to provide funds for resilience improvements through formula funding distributed to states and through future competitive grants to local, regional or state agencies via the PROTECT Discretionary Grant Program.

• Project: Railroad crossing upgrades and safety improvements.
• Where: City of Allentown, Lehigh County
• Status: Completed 11/30/2022
• Cost: $246,500
• Owner: PennDOT

• Project: Pedestrian accessibility improvements in Canal Park in Hanover Township to Northampton County line along old D&L tow path through Catasauqua.
• Where: Borough of Catasauqua and Hanover Township, Lehigh County
• Status: Completed 11/23/2022
• Cost: $728,832
• Owner: Lehigh County

• Project: Upgrades to pedestrian ramps and intersection crossings at Broadway and Delaware Avenue.
• Where: Borough of Fountain Hill, Lehigh County
• Status: Completed 02/09/2023
• Cost: $203,829
• Owner: Borough of Fountain Hill

• Project: Replacement/Rehabilitation of the State Route 2024 (Mill Road) bridge over a tributary to the Saucon Creek.
• Where: Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County
• Status: Completed 05/16/2022
• Cost: $1,232,300
• Owner: PennDOT

• Project: Rehabilitation of Geiger's Covered Bridge carrying Old Packhouse Road over the Jordan Creek.
• Where: North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County
• Status: Completed 01/08/2022
• Cost: $400,000
• Owner: North Whitehall Township

• Project: Conversion of four one way streets to two way streets to facilitate better traffic movement in Easton's Central Business District.
• Where: City of Easton, Northampton County
• Status: Completed 04/19/2023
• Cost: $1,987,190
• Owner: PennDOT

• Project: Resurfacing of Route 611 from the Bucks County boundary line with Northampton County to Browns Drive in Williams Township.
• Where: Lower Saucon and Williams Townships, Northampton County
• Status: Completed 11/04/2022
• Cost: $3,224,381
• Owner: PennDOT

• Project: Roadway reconstruction on Route 100 from Industrial Boulevard to Tilghman Street and the ramps to Interstate 78.
• Where: Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County
• Status: Completed 09/03/2023
• Cost: $24,995,557
• Owner: PennDOT

• Project: Replacement of the Wire Mill Bridge that carries Lehigh Street (Route 145) over the Little Lehigh Creek.
• Where: City of Allentown, Lehigh County
• Status: Completed 07/26/2023
• Cost: $7,988,778
• Owner: Lehigh County

• Project: Thirteen buses were ordered during FFY 2023 and are scheduled to arrive in late FFY2024.
• Where: City of Allentown, Lehigh County
• Status: Scheduled to arrive in late FFY 2024
• Cost: $7,693,634
• Owner: LANTA

• Project: Fifteen vehicles that were ordered in November 2021, but were delayed beyond their estimated delivery due to production delays, were delivered and placed into revenue service in March 2023. LANTA ordered an additional 15 vehicles in March 2023 which should be arriving in mid-to-late FFY2024 to be added into revenue service.
• Where: City of Allentown, Lehigh County
• Status: First round completed March 2023; second round to be completed by mid-to-late FFY 2024
• Cost: First 15 - $1,287,870; Second 15 - $1,698,900
• Owner: LANTA

• Project: LANTA awarded contracts for renovation to the Bethlehem Transportation Center (BTC) interior waiting area for improved passenger experience in FFY2023. Work is expected to be completed in FFY2024.
• Where: City of Allentown, Lehigh County
• Status: Completed 07/26/2023
• Cost: $869,900
• Owner: LANTA

• Project: Thirteen buses were ordered during FFY 2023 and are scheduled to arrive in late FFY2024.
• Where: City of Allentown, Lehigh County
• Status: Scheduled to arrive in late FFY 2024
• Cost: $7,693,634
• Owner: LANTA

• Project: Fifteen vehicles that were ordered in November 2021, but were delayed beyond their estimated delivery due to production delays, were delivered and placed into revenue service in March 2023. LANTA ordered an additional 15 vehicles in March 2023 which should be arriving in mid-to-late FFY2024 to be added into revenue service.
• Where: City of Allentown, Lehigh County
• Status: First round completed March 2023; second round to be completed by mid-to-late FFY 2024
• Cost: First 15 - $1,287,870; Second 15 - $1,698,900
• Owner: LANTA

• Project: LANTA awarded contracts for renovation to the Bethlehem Transportation Center (BTC) interior waiting area for improved passenger experience in FFY2023. Work is expected to be completed in FFY2024.
• Where: City of Allentown, Lehigh County
• Status: Completed 07/26/2023
• Cost: $869,900
• Owner: LANTA

• Project: LANTA rolled out a Vehicle Overhaul (VOH) program in FFY2023 for the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses which will perform mid-life overhauls of the engines to ensure vehicles meet useful life benchmarks.
• Where: City of Allentown, Lehigh County
• Status: Completed FFY 2023
• Cost: $2,400,000
• Owner: LANTA