“We’re putting in all new trees.”

Residents and visitors who noted with trepidation work on South New Street recently may rest assured that while a project will be proceeding into the winter, the outcome will not be bereft of greenery.

City Traffic Superintendent Tiffany Wells told the Press this project will improve a central Southside thoroughfare and relocate a portion of the Greenway to form a continuous straight line. The work from Third Street to Morton will calm traffic and improve pedestrian safety as a gateway to Lehigh University. It will also match the aesthetics of other Greenway crosswalks in blocks to the east, with additional bike racks, decorative patterns and rumble strips.

The recent work was merely intended to clear the way for a general and electrical contractor to begin digging July 11. This will primarily be underground decorative lighting wiring, cabling, and foundations, but it will require the street surfaces to be dug up.

To confront this issue, planning includes single lane closures and scheduling for off-peak traffic and business hours. Sidewalks will also be replaced, as will, of course, the trees that were just removed.

Wells said the city is coordinating with the Southside Arts District, businesses, and will be updates to the MyBethlehem application frequently. “It won’t be foolproof,” she admitted.

Wells said a $1 million state community economic development grant, matched by private investors and Lehigh University.

“The bulk of the project will be completed hopefully in November, and then next year the whole road will be repaved. The duration’s very long but the whole area won’t be disturbed the entire time; it’ll be one side of the street, or one portion up near Morton, and then down by Third.”

Wells said there were three public meetings about this project, but they were pre-pandemic, so forgetting about it is understandable.

There shouldn’t be more work expected from the city for a long time, Wells said, and though she couldn’t speak for utilities requiring sudden access, UGI updated the section from Fourth to Morton only also just before the pandemic.

“I don’t have a specific time frame, but once this is done we don’t plan on coming back for there for a long time.”