Route 22 resurfacing

Route 22, as the main thoroughfare of the Lehigh Valley, presents a big challenge to planners.

PennDOT needs to make improvements to keep it safe and ensure the flow of traffic. Yet lane restrictions or closures can play havoc for tens of thousands

of people every day.

So people may want to have a backup plan later this year when PennDOT begins repaving Route 22 between the 25th Street interchange in Palmer Township and the Farmersville Road overpass in Bethlehem Township.

In addition to the four-mile stretch of highway, PennDOT will be resurfacing the ramps between Route 33 and Route 22 again.

PennDOT documents don’t include an end date for this project. I’m sure plenty of people are dreading this, and for good reason.

But I can’t ignore that this stretch of Route 22 could really use the improvements, especially where construction crews have set camp to repair the Route 33 bridge.

Anticipated cost: $5 million