LANTA to host open houses on potential bus system improvements

The first public open house will take place next Wednesday at the Grand Eastonian Suites Hotel in Easton.

LANTA will host a series of open houses next week for input on possible improvements to its bus system, beginning Wednesday afternoon in Easton.

The Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority is considering an "Enhanced Bus/Bus Rapid Transit" program for speedier and more reliable public transportation in the Lehigh Valley.

According to LANTA, the improvements would call for limited-stop and express services, traffic signal priority for buses, dedicated bus lanes, off-board fare collection, improved bus stops and shelters and the use of GPS bus location and travel time displays.

LANTA Planning Director Owen O'Neil and Executive Director Armand Greco were not immediately available for comment.

Sean Brown, a regional spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, deferred comment Friday to LANTA.

In New York City, transit officials say a similar system has been "extremely successful."

"It has resulted in reduced travel time (and) increased ridership," said Charles Seaton, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City.

Seaton said the authority recently introduced the system to one of New York City's busiest midtown corridors.

Rapid bus service will soon be on its way to Philadelphia suburbs in southern New Jersey. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Monday that $2.6 million had been allocated to NJ Transit to begin rapid transit service between Camden County and Center City.

TRANSIT HEARINGS
LANTA plans the following public hearings for a plan for rapid bus service.

• 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Grand Eastonian Suites Hotel in Easton.

• 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Hyatt Place in Bethlehem.

• 10 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday at the Baum School of Art in Allentown.