Allentown (PA) council votes to support rail study

[CHamilton]

Allentown takes the lead in calling for Lehigh Valley passenger rail study

A small but important first step toward the possible return of passenger rail service to the Lehigh Valley was taken late Wednesday night by Allentown City Council.

In a surprise move, council unanimously voted to support feasibility and marketing studies on rail service in the Lehigh Valley and to request state and/or federal funding to pay for such studies. It also formally is recommending that Lehigh Valley legislators and local municipal governments and authorities join in supporting the funding of those studies.

Council’s surprise vote left “flabbergasted” Kirk Raup, who unsuccessfully has been trying for years to get Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton officials moving forward on the idea of restoring passenger service to Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York City.

 

[Acela150]

That area is in desperate need of Rail Service. The only form of Public transit that goes between Allentown and Philadelphia is Bieber Bus. I rode it once and was not a fan.

 

[RailRide]

Interesting how almost all of the 40+ comments are positive on the matter. The article must have flown under the naysayers' radar

---PCJ (who travels out there a couple of times a year...for a train show of all things)

 

[Fan Railer]

This is wonderful haha

 

[Nathanael]

Bethelehem/Allentown is one of the areas most urgently in need of intercity rail service in the entire country. It has a huge amount of travel to both Philadelphia and New York City. Nobody really wants to drive to New York City. Nobody wants to take a bus as far as Allentown-NYC or Allentown-Philadelphia -- and the buses all face horrible road congestion starting a good 20 miles outside NYC, as well. Train service would be extremely successful as it would connect to the entire NEC spine (in both NY and Philadelphia) and to all the urban rail routes connected to it.

This is a metro area 1.5 times as large as Portland, Maine or Harrisburg, PA, and comparable in size to Albany, NY -- but closer to the NEC than any of them. Lines to Philadelphia or NYC would probably be more popular than the Downeaster, the Empire Service, or the Keystone.

Unfortunately, with this being the first sign of progress, ever, it's probably going to still take multiple decades before this area gets its rail service back.