From gray to Greenway

Bethlehem is built on steel bones. Metal railways throughout the city once carried the material that built New York City, ushered in the age of the skyscraper and created weaponry in two world wars. 

Today, the South Bethlehem Greenway traces the outline of the old Norfolk Southern rail corridor that moves material from Bethlehem to beyond, tying together the South Side community and stretching all the way to Hellertown. 

Since the time of World War I in 1914, segregation has played a large role in limiting travel across the United States. One of the greatest tools to accomplish this is obstructing movement. 

In the early 20th century, the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation released a “residential security ” map of Bethlehem, assigning neighbors “risk levels” for lenders that made loans more difficult to acquire in primarily minority neighborhoods.

The effect of this is seen in the wealth disparity between North and South Bethlehem. To this day, neighborhoods given higher credit risk ratings by the HOLC are less developed and hold less financial resources.

In the 1970s, state highway PA-378, Wyandotte Street, was constructed between two boroughs, Fountain Hill and Bethlehem, posing a difficult and hazardous walking path, or lack thereof, for pedestrians trying to cross between the areas.

The Greenway contrasts this separation with a path through the center of Bethlehem, connecting communities instead of dividing them, and providing access to opportunities instead of taking it away. But, the pathway falls short of its goals in a few ways. 

The Greenway ties together the South Side latitudinally, when much of the wealth inequality exists on the longitudinal axis, according to a 2023 Bethlehem Housing Study. 

Only the first 1.3 miles of the Greenway are paved, meaning that accessibility by bike is difficult outside of that small stretch. 

Additionally, the path is only 12 feet wide. While this works for foot traffic, it still limits the possibility for larger groups and high pedestrian traffic. 

There are several difficult street crossings with short pedestrian walk periods, posing additional difficulties to those with mobility issues. 

There are safety concerns, too. The Greenway is not fully lit, making some apprehensive of walking on it alone.

All of these complaints shouldn’t be taken to represent a dislike or disregard for the Greenway — they’re merely observations for how it can be improved. 

The City of Bethlehem has finalized the last planned expansion of the Greenway, a 1 mile section through Hellertown that will connect to the Saucon Rail Trail, which is a 7.5 mile trail also built on an unused rail bed. 

This is a fantastic step, but even more can be done to make the most out of one of Bethlehem’s greatest pedestrian opportunities. 

Paving the entire trail, and widening it where possible, stands to make a casual spot into a fantastic commuting path, making downtown jobs more accessible to those without access to public transportation or a private vehicle.

Moving the Hayes Street crossing to an intersection away from East Third Street would drastically decrease the amount of car traffic that challenges pedestrians, moving the flow of foot traffic away from the busy intersection to a shorter and less intense crossing.

Implementing a system similar to Lehigh’s blue light network, alongside proper nighttime illumination, would make the Greenway feel safer for those concerned about walking alone or  away from the city.

Lehigh has a stake in this project as well. 

Many students lack cars, so having an alternative path and place to be outside of campus opens many doors for them. 

The Greenway is a popular running trail for students and creating a more comfortable and safe option encourages physical activity and outdoor time among a population often confined to the library. 

While the Greenway is fairly close to Lehigh’s main campus, adding a series of small paths, less than 0.1 miles, that directly connect the Greenway to both the Asa Packer and Goodman campuses could ease students’ reliance on the bus system. 

Given all that Bethlehem has been through since the days when the Steelstacks built the nation, the Greenway — made safe, fully paved, widened  and connected — can work not only as a way to connect Lehigh to Bethlehem, but as a blueprint for the nation to rebuild its disparate communities. 

It may be built on the bones of the past, but make no mistake —  the Greenway is the future.