Skip to main content
Bethlehem ConnectPlanning phase — home

Corridors & Stops

Phase 1 in and around Bethlehem, Hellertown and Fountain Hill; Phase 2 past Bethlehem

Planning phase. An independent plan; nothing is funded or built yet. What this means

Phase 1 (2029) is the Connect Spine, the River Line and the St. Luke's branch; Phase 2 (2030) is five corridors past Bethlehem and the Airport Link, only if LANTA agrees; the rest comes later, only if demand. 2029 and 2030 are conditional targets, not commitments: they depend on a sponsor adopting the route, funding and operating partners, and comparable projects often slipped 1–2 years. Every line is an illustrative corridor on existing streets, not an engineered route, right-of-way or station site.

The network in brief

  • Phase 1: the Connect Spine, electric bus rapid transit every 10 minutes from the I-78 Park & Ride to North Bethlehem; the River Line, an upgrade of LANTA's EBS core; and the St. Luke's branch from Farrington Square.
  • Phase 2: five corridors past Bethlehem and the Airport Link to ABE, only if LANTA agrees. LANTA decides.
  • Later, only if demand: the Valley Express, a gondola, extensions to Wind Creek, Bethlehem Square and two township parks, the 4th & Wyandotte and South Bethlehem stops, and express tiers. No target year.
  • No passenger trains run in Bethlehem today, and no regional rail route has been chosen.
  • Corridor
    Connect Spine · electric BRT
    Status
    Phase 1 · conditional target 2029
    Route (illustrative)
    I-78 P&R → Hellertown Main St → Goodman → Mountaintop / Iacocca Hall (Mountain Dr S) → Lehigh University Center → Farrington → Fahy Bridge → Downtown (Walnut & New) → Broad & Main → Moravian → Linden & Elizabeth
    km
    16.50
    mi
    10.3
    min (model)
    34.6
  • Corridor
    River Line · upgraded EBS core
    Status
    Phase 1 · conditional target 2029
    Route (illustrative)
    Downtown → Farrington → Third St / SteelStacks (3rd & Polk)
    km
    2.51
    mi
    1.6
    min (model)
    5.0
  • Corridor
    St. Luke's branch · Farrington Square to St. Luke's
    Status
    Phase 1 · conditional target 2029One stop, on Ostrum St
    Route (illustrative)
    Farrington → W 4th St → Ostrum St (St. Luke's University Hospital, Fountain Hill)
    km
    1.67
    mi
    1.0
    min (model)
    3.8
  • Corridor
    Airport Link · bus to ABE airport
    Status
    Phase 2 · conditional target 2030Only if LANTA agrees; the terminal stop only if the Airport Authority agrees
    Route (illustrative)
    Downtown (Walnut & New) → W Broad St over the Broad Street Bridge → 8th Ave → Schoenersville Rd (LVH–Muhlenberg) → US 22 → Airport Rd → ABE passenger terminal
    km
    7.99
    mi
    5.0
    min (model)
    13.5
  • Corridor
    Valley Express bus
    Status
    Later · only if demand supports itStop for later on the way: South Bethlehem (City parkland), only if a separately proposed park is built
    Route (illustrative)
    I-78 P&R → Rt 412 / Daly Ave → Wind Creek → Third St → Farrington — also the corridor to protect for possible future rail
    km
    5.15
    mi
    3.2
    min (model)
    9.1
  • Corridor
    River Line extension to Wind Creek
    Status
    Later · only if demand supports it
    Route (illustrative)
    3rd & Polk → Daly Ave → Wind Creek Blvd
    km
    1.46
    mi
    0.9
    min (model)
    3.4
  • Corridor
    North expansion to Bethlehem Square
    Status
    Later · only if demand supports it
    Route (illustrative)
    Linden & Elizabeth → Linden St corridor → Bethlehem Square / US 22
    km
    5.62
    mi
    3.5
    min (model)
    11.2
  • Corridor
    Hanover Township (Northampton County) park extension
    Status
    Later · only if demand supports itAfter the Airport Link (Phase 2) runs
    Route (illustrative)
    LVH–Muhlenberg (Airport Link stop) → Schoenersville Rd → Macada Rd → Jacksonville Rd (Municipal Park main driveway)
    km
    3.00
    mi
    1.9
    min (model)
    6.3
  • Corridor
    Bethlehem Township park extension
    Status
    Later · only if demand supports itAfter the North expansion runs
    Route (illustrative)
    Bethlehem Square (end of the North expansion) → Nazareth Pike → Oakland Rd → Easton Ave → Farmersville Rd at Walter Rd (Municipal Park)
    km
    5.24
    mi
    3.3
    min (model)
    10.5

Measured on the existing street network and USGS terrain. Minutes are in-vehicle times from a kinematic model (maximum speed, acceleration, dwell and traffic factors), without waiting or transfers. The gondola (3.42 km, ~12.2 min) is a later idea, not part of Phase 1; see Transportation Alternatives.

Why the mountain matters

Mountaintop (≈275 m) sits about 180 m above Goodman and 153 m above the University Center, on campus roads that reach 11–13% over 100 m. Buses can climb them, as Lehigh's shuttles do today, so the Spine serves the Mountaintop / Iacocca Hall stop from day one. That stop and any later gondola station would be on Lehigh land and need Lehigh's agreement; none has been asked.

Built on what exists

Between Downtown, Farrington and Third Street, the River Line follows LANTA's Enhanced Bus Service core, where a combined bus already runs about every 15 minutes. Phase 1 would upgrade and extend that service rather than duplicate it.

Destinations

Ten proposed station areas, the St. Luke's branch stop and two evaluated destinations for later. Each is an area, not a chosen site, and each page lists what exists today, what is proposed and what is still unknown. The Airport Link's two stops (Phase 2) and the stops for later are listed below.

South

Lehigh & Southside

North

St. Luke's branch (Phase 1)

Evaluated destinations (later, only if demand)

Not in the plan: a separate Wind Creek station, a second downtown station (Walnut & New pairs with the Bethlehem Transportation Center 236 m away), a Union Station stop, and merging the University Center and Farrington stops.

Phase 2 Airport Link, and what comes later

The Airport Link is Phase 2; the rest would come later, only if demand, after the line it builds on runs. Naming an organization here does not mean it agreed: none named below has been asked.

Two park extensions Later · only if demand supports it

Later, only if ridership and funding justify them. One would continue the Airport Link (Phase 2) from LVH–Muhlenberg to the Hanover Township (Northampton County) Municipal Park, the other the North expansion from Bethlehem Square to the Bethlehem Township Municipal Park. Event-day shuttles or timed transfers with LANTA's existing routes would come first.
Measured detail

4th & Wyandotte Later · only if demand supports it

A stop for later on the St. Luke's branch in South Bethlehem, beside LANTA's existing 4th & Wyandotte stops, only if counts show riders the Farrington Square transfer does not serve. It would cost riders going through to St. Luke's about 0.6 min (model).
Measured detail

South Bethlehem (City parkland)

Later · only if that separate park is built and the Valley Express runs (itself later, only if demand)

A separate park proposal by another project has suggested City parkland in South Bethlehem; its site is not chosen. Connect would add a stop on PA 412 (Hellertown Rd) at Commerce Center Blvd only if a park is built there and riders need one. The City decides about its parkland, the park proposal about its plans, and LANTA and the road owner about any stop.

Measured detail

Phase 2 — corridors past Bethlehem

Five corridors on existing streets, each from a Phase 1 station to a transit hub or town center in a neighboring town (Nazareth from Bethlehem Square, so only after the North expansion runs; until then, shared stops, timetables and a fare with LANTA), plus the Airport Link (above).
Phase 2 · conditional target 2030Added 20 October 2026 at the author's request. Phase 2: after Phase 1, only if LANTA agrees.

Phase 2 would reach past Bethlehem on existing streets only, with no rail line and no new street. LANTA decides: on streets it already serves, Connect would merge with or feed its routes rather than run beside them (see today's bus routes). Connect would extend past Bethlehem only with owners, regulators and licensed engineers.

Regional map: five navy dashed Phase 2 corridors from Bethlehem Connect's Phase 1 stations (Nazareth's from Bethlehem Square, a shaded area at the end of the later North expansion) to Allentown, Easton, Nazareth, Bath, and Saucon Valley south and Coopersburg (PA 309), and the Airport Link to ABE, on existing streets, with existing LANTA hubs as gray squares (opens the full-size image)
Phase 2 corridors and the Airport Link (navy, dashed) on existing streets, with Phase 1 drawn thin for orientation; the Airport Link's two stops and Bethlehem Square (where the Nazareth corridor would start) are shaded areas. Town ends sit on public streets; gray squares are LANTA's existing hubs. Not engineered routes. Tap to open full size.Overture Maps 2026-09-23.1 (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); paths measured in build/analysis/network.py (20 Oct 2026); LANTA hubs: LANTA GTFS feed, 2022.

What this is not

Not a route anyone has chosen, a schedule or a promise of service. No ridership, cost or frequency estimate exists for any Phase 2 corridor. No transit authority has agreed: none of LANTA, the municipalities, PennDOT or the road owners has agreed to anything, and the plan's records show no request to any of them about these corridors. A town end is a public street, not a site. The measurements are under More detail.

Today's bus routes on every line

Which bus routes already run where each Connect line would, and what Connect would do about them (a screening; our judgment, not proposals to LANTA). LANTA decides on its routes, Lehigh on its shuttles and each intercity operator on its own service. None has agreed to anything; the plan's records show no request about these routes.
  • Where a LANTA route shares a real part of a line, the two would share one timetable and stops there; no route meets the test for replacing it.
  • Elsewhere, LANTA routes would feed Connect stations with timed transfers.
  • Some Lehigh shuttles could merge only if Lehigh chooses, and Connect would never replace intercity coaches: riders would transfer.

2022 data: check the current routes

LANTA has changed routes since 2022 (for example cuts in 2025 and 2026). Every route below is to confirm against LANTA's current timetables. The route-by-route tables, the rules behind them and the sources are under More detail.

The whole network on one page

Map of the hybrid network on real geography: Phase 1 (Connect Spine, River Line and St. Luke's branch) and the later ideas (Valley Express, gondola and extensions), with a text note on long-term rail ideas (no rail route drawn) (opens the full-size image)
Hybrid network on real geography (22 October 2026). Phase 1: teal = Connect Spine, amber = River Line (an upgrade of existing EBS), blue = St. Luke's branch. Later, only if demand: purple dashed = Valley Express, magenta = gondola, a line only (no towers designed), teal and amber dashed = extensions (North; Wind Creek). Thin gray = existing LANTA EBS. Not on this figure: the Airport Link (Phase 2), the park extensions, the 4th & Wyandotte and South Bethlehem stops and the Phase 2 corridors (see the interactive map and the Phase 2 map above). Rail ideas are a text note only: no rail route or tunnel is drawn. Corridors are illustrative, not engineered routes; shaded areas mark station areas, not sites.Overture Maps 2026-09-23.1 (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL; land cover ESA WorldCover, CC BY 4.0); USGS 3DEP 1/3″ hillshade and 20 m contours; LANTA EBS schematic.

More detail

Connect Spine, segment by segment
FromTokmminSteepest 100 m
I-78 Park & RideHellertown / Saucon Valley2.154.74.3%
Hellertown / Saucon ValleyGoodman / Stabler Arena2.134.63.2%
Goodman / Stabler ArenaMountaintop / Iacocca Hall4.037.811.2%
Mountaintop / Iacocca HallLehigh University Center3.146.213.2%
Lehigh University CenterFarrington Square0.862.310.1%
Farrington SquareDowntown / Broad Street1.833.36.3%
Downtown / Broad StreetMoravian University1.433.38.4%
Moravian UniversityNorth Bethlehem0.922.45.7%
Park extensions: measured, the two park stops and checks

Added 19 October 2026 at the author's request; later, only if demand, since 22 October 2026. Not drawn on the PDF maps; the two-page summary (v1.3) lists them.

Each extension runs on existing streets to a stop on the public street at the park's entrance or edge. Neither township, the City of Bethlehem nor LANTA has been asked.

Run times use the city-street bus assumptions (40 km/h top speed, one 25-second stop). Measured without one-way rules, like every other line; the one-way check is in the notes below.

  • Extension
    Hanover Township (Northampton County) park extension
    Extends
    Airport Link, from LVH–MuhlenbergPhase 2 · conditional target 2030
    km
    3.00
    min (model)
    6.3
    Steepest 100 m
    3.8%
    Ends at
    Hanover Township (Northampton County) Municipal Park — Jacksonville Rd
  • Extension
    Bethlehem Township park extension
    Extends
    North expansion to Bethlehem Square, from Bethlehem Square / US 22Later · only if demand supports it
    km
    5.24
    min (model)
    10.5
    Steepest 100 m
    5.8%
    Ends at
    Bethlehem Township Municipal Park — Farmersville Rd at Walter Rd

Measured on the Overture street network from LVH–Muhlenberg. Street names are simplified.

  • Street, in order
    Schoenersville Rd
    km
    0.40
  • Street, in order
    Macada Rd
    km
    1.11
  • Street, in order
    Jacksonville Rd
    km
    1.49

Measured on the Overture street network from Bethlehem Square / US 22. Street names are simplified.

  • Street, in order
    Drive out of Bethlehem Square, where the North expansion ends
    km
    0.28
  • Street, in order
    Unnamed link to Nazareth Pike
    km
    0.04
  • Street, in order
    Nazareth Pike
    km
    0.66
  • Street, in order
    Oakland Rd
    km
    2.94
  • Street, in order
    Easton Ave
    km
    0.50
  • Street, in order
    Farmersville Rd
    km
    0.83

The two park stops

  • Stop
    HT · Hanover Township (Northampton County) Municipal Park and Community Center, 3660 Jacksonville Rd
    Where
    On Jacksonville Rd, a public street, at the park's main driveway opposite Stafore Dr.
    Measured (straight line unless noted)
    69 m to the park's mapped edge · 262 m to the Community Center (276 m mapped walk) · 392 m to Hanover Elementary School
    What it would need
    Overture maps no footway along Jacksonville Rd within 150 m of the stop (to confirm on site), so a stop would need a safe place to wait and cross. School-time traffic at the school next to the park. The views of the road owner and of Hanover Township (Northampton County).
  • Stop
    BT · Bethlehem Township Municipal Park and Community Center, 2900 Farmersville Rd
    Where
    On Farmersville Rd, a public street, at Walter Rd, on the park's west edge.
    Measured (straight line unless noted)
    3 m to the park's mapped edge · 608 m to the Community Center (811 m mapped walk, along Walter Rd)
    What it would need
    Overture maps a footway along Farmersville Rd within 150 m of the stop (to confirm on site). A stop at the Community Center's door would need Bethlehem Township's agreement: Walter Rd's east leg ends in the center's parking lot, and whether it is a public road is to confirm.

Hanover Township (Northampton County): check the US 22 underpass

The map data marks a 13 ft 7 in height limit where Jacksonville Rd passes under US 22 on the way to the park (Overture Maps; a lead, to confirm on site). Whether a bus fits depends on the vehicle's height, which has not been chosen. A check, not the line: a path via Schoenersville Rd, which crosses over US 22, then Stoke Park Rd and Jacksonville Rd measures 4.17 km and about 8.5 min (model), with no height limit in the map data. The first 0.40 km, on Schoenersville Rd, is shared with the Airport Link.

Bethlehem Township: start, exit and existing buses

From Bethlehem Square the extension first runs 0.98 km back along the North expansion to Oakland Rd. 96 m of the drive out of Bethlehem Square runs against a one-way rule in the map data, so the real exit is to study. In LANTA's 2022 data its Enhanced Bus Service ran on Easton Ave (to confirm with LANTA): the extension should be coordinated with it, not duplicate it.

How the routes were chosen (our judgment)

The same road-class rule as the Airport Link, with one waypoint each on the path the research checked (Macada Rd at Jacksonville Rd; Easton Ave at Oakland Rd). Plain shortest paths would wind through residential streets and service roads (2.68 km and 4.75 km). Not yet checked: turns, a place for buses to turn around at either park (none on a public street was identified), and current LANTA timetables.

Not costed

No ridership, cost or frequency estimate exists for either extension, and any first step would be checked against current LANTA timetables. LANTA stops nearby in 2022 (to confirm): Stoke Park at Jacksonville WB (631 m; Route 319) for the Hanover Township (Northampton County) park; Easton at Farmersville EB (815 m; Routes 101, 220, 312) for the Bethlehem Township park.

Measured: Overture Maps 2026-09-23.1 streets, park areas, places, footways and height limits (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL; places CDLA-Permissive-2.0); USGS 3DEP 1/3″ terrain; LANTA GTFS feed, June–September 2022, service on Wednesday 22 June 2022 (project analysis, 19 Oct 2026). Park and community center addresses: the township websites hanovertwp-nc.org (Municipal Park and Community Center, 3660 Jacksonville Rd) and bethlehemtownship.org (Municipal Park; Community Center, 2900 Farmersville Rd), via search summaries retrieved 19 Oct 2026 (leads, to confirm). Hanover Township in Lehigh County is a different municipality and is not part of this extension.

4th & Wyandotte: spacing check

Added 19 October 2026; later, only if demand, since 22 October 2026. W 4th St and Wyandotte St (PA 378 in the map data) meet on the St. Luke's branch's path between Farrington Square and the hospital, so the branch's own measurement does not change: 1.67 km.

Minimum spacing used here: 400 m from each neighboring stop (our judgment, close to the 1,200–1,400 ft local-stop spacing that NACTO's Transit Street Design Guide suggests; a lead from a search summary retrieved 19 Oct 2026).

  • Check
    Distance from Farrington Square, along the branch
    Measured
    0.73 km
    Result
    Wider than the minimum
  • Check
    Distance to St. Luke's (Fountain Hill), along the branch
    Measured
    0.94 km
    Result
    Wider than the minimum
  • Check
    On the branch's own measured path
    Measured
    Yes: both parts add up to the branch
    Result
    The branch's km, minutes and grades are unchanged
  • Check
    Branch run time with the stop
    Measured
    ~4.4 min (model)
    Result
    3.8 min without it
  • Check
    LANTA stops within 100 m (2022 data)
    Measured
    4th at Wyandotte EB (14 m; Route 108) · 4th at Wyandotte WB (18 m; Route 108)
    Result
    Transfer point; current service to confirm

Why later (our judgment)

It changes nothing on LANTA's routes. It would add about 0.6 min for riders going through to St. Luke's (model), and Farrington Square offers the same LANTA transfers.

What it would need

Curb space for a bus stop on W 4th St or on Wyandotte St, the views of the City of Bethlehem and the road owner (the map data gives Wyandotte St a state route number; owner to confirm), and coordination with LANTA, whose stops are already there. None of them has been asked. The stop would change nothing on LANTA's routes.

Measured on the Overture Maps 2026-09-23.1 street network (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with the same shortest-path rule as the branch; LANTA GTFS feed, June–September 2022 (stops served on Wednesday 22 June 2022). Project analysis, 19 Oct 2026.

South Bethlehem (City parkland) stop: measured

Added 20 October 2026; later, only if demand, since 22 October 2026. Not drawn on the PDF maps; the two-page summary (v1.3) lists it.

Minimum spacing used here: 400 m from each neighboring stop (our judgment, as for 4th & Wyandotte). Run times use the Valley Express's highway-bus assumptions. Mapped walks follow the Overture walking network, which has few mapped paths here, so they are long detours.

  • Check
    Distance from I-78 Park & Ride, along the Valley Express
    Measured
    0.69 km
    What it means
    Wider than the minimum
  • Check
    Distance to Wind Creek, along the Valley Express
    Measured
    2.33 km
    What it means
    Wider than the minimum
  • Check
    On the line's own measured path
    Measured
    Yes: both parts add up to the line
    What it means
    The Valley Express's km, minutes and grades are unchanged
  • Check
    Run time, I-78 Park & Ride to Wind Creek
    Measured
    ~4.8 min with the stop (model)
    What it means
    4.0 min without it
  • Check
    To the parkland's edge
    Measured
    210 m straight · 355 m mapped walk
    What it means
    To the nearest mapped street or path in the parkland
  • Check
    Without this stop: I-78 Park & Ride (station 1, site unverified) to the parkland's edge
    Measured
    283 m straight · 556 m mapped walk
    What it means
    The nearest Phase 1 station, and the no-new-stop choice
  • Check
    To the South Bethlehem Greenway's mapped south end (Auburn St)
    Measured
    219 m straight · 626 m mapped walk
    What it means
    The mapped walk is a long detour; a direct path is to check on site
  • Check
    To the Saucon Rail Trail's mapped north end (Hellertown)
    Measured
    1.85 km straight
    What it means
    Overture maps an undeveloped connector trail on an old rail line between them; its mapped north end is 829 m from the stop in a straight line
  • Check
    LANTA stops within 400 m (2022 data)
    Measured
    Hellertown and Commerce SB (56 m; Route 105) · Hellertown and Commerce NB (71 m; Routes 105, 215, 605) · Commerce at Gilchrist EB (230 m; Routes 215, 605) · Hellertown at Crest (312 m; Route 105)
    What it means
    Existing service comes first; current routes to confirm

What it would need

First the park itself, on the park proposal's own terms and with the City's written agreement; then the Valley Express, itself later, only if demand. For the stop: curb space and a safe crossing on PA 412, a state route (the road owner's views; owner to confirm), a safe walk to the park's entrances (to confirm on site), and coordination with LANTA. Overture maps a footway along part of PA 412 (Hellertown Rd) within 150 m of the stop (to confirm on site). Nothing is agreed with the City of Bethlehem, PennDOT or LANTA, and none has been asked about this stop.

Why this intersection (our judgment)

Of the PA 412 junctions on the Valley Express's path beside the parkland, this is the one where LANTA stopped in 2022 in both directions, where the map data shows a footway along part of PA 412, and the closest in a straight line to the Greenway's mapped south end.

Not costed or flood-checked

No ridership, cost or frequency estimate exists for this stop. Flood risk on the parkland is for the park project and FEMA maps to settle; FEMA flood checks are not done for any Connect stop. Event-day shuttles or timed transfers with LANTA's existing routes would come first.

Measured: Overture Maps 2026-09-23.1 streets, walking network, park areas, footways and trails (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); LANTA GTFS feed, June–September 2022 (stops served on Wednesday 22 June 2022); project analysis, 20 Oct 2026.

Phase 2 corridors: measured, street by street, and how they were chosen

LANTA served four of the six town ends (2022 data)

In LANTA's 2022 data, its buses stopped within 400 m of the town ends in Allentown, Easton, Nazareth and Saucon Valley south. No stop was within 5 km of Bath or Coopersburg: the only real gaps in this set. Current service is to confirm: LANTA has changed routes since 2022.

Only where it adds something

Where LANTA's 2022 routes already ran along most of a corridor (Allentown 95%, Easton 100%, Nazareth 76% of its length), Connect would at most share stops, timetables and a fare with LANTA on those streets. A new Connect stop or branch would come only where existing service leaves a real gap, and LANTA would decide either way.

In-vehicle minutes in the kinematic model at city-street bus assumptions (40 km/h top speed), between the listed points only: no intermediate stop is chosen, and each one would add about 39 seconds (model). Measured on existing streets in one direction; the one-way check uses the same rule on a copy of the street network that follows the map data's one-way rules. Climb is the total ascent on the USGS terrain model.

  • Corridor
    AllentownFrom Downtown / Broad Street to Allentown Transportation Center (N 6th St)
    km
    8.98
    min (model)
    17.5
    Climb (m)
    84
    Steepest 100 m
    4.8%
    One-way check
    No path against a one-way rule; return trip 9.17 km with one-way rules
    LANTA stops at the town end (2022)
    Allentown: ATC - Platform A (30 m; Routes 100, 101, 211, 213, 218, 220, 319) · ATC - Platform B (75 m; Routes 102, 103, 104, 107, 209, 210, 211, 324)
  • Corridor
    EastonFrom North Bethlehem to Easton Centre Square (Northampton St)
    km
    16.00
    min (model)
    30.6
    Climb (m)
    159
    Steepest 100 m
    8.1%
    One-way check
    No path against a one-way rule; return trip 16.38 km with one-way rules
    LANTA stops at the town end (2022)
    Easton: 3rd at Northampton (80 m; Route 214) · 3rd at Spring Garden (240 m; Route 214) · Easton Intermodal Transportation Center: 249 m from Centre Square (straight line)
  • Corridor
    NazarethFrom Bethlehem Square / US 22 to Nazareth borough center (Broad St & Center St)
    km
    8.37
    min (model)
    16.4
    Climb (m)
    102
    Steepest 100 m
    7.8%
    One-way check
    No path against a one-way rule; return trip 8.38 km with one-way rules
    LANTA stops at the town end (2022)
    Nazareth: Center at Broad WB (30 m; Routes 216, 312) · Center at Main WB (174 m; Routes 216, 312)
  • Corridor
    BathFrom Moravian University to Bath borough center (Main St & Northampton St)
    km
    11.69
    min (model)
    22.6
    Climb (m)
    127
    Steepest 100 m
    8.9%
    One-way check
    125 m of path against a one-way rule; return trip 11.70 km with one-way rules
    LANTA stops at the town end (2022)
    Bath: none within 400 m; the nearest LANTA stop was 5.1 km away (Routes 216, 312)
  • Corridor
    Saucon Valley south and Coopersburg (PA 309)From Hellertown / Saucon Valley to Saucon Valley south (at LANTA's 2022 stops at the corridor's end), then Coopersburg borough center (Main St & State St)
    km
    14.49
    min (model)
    28.5
    Climb (m)
    197
    Steepest 100 m
    7.9%
    One-way check
    13 m of path against a one-way rule; return trip 15.16 km with one-way rules
    LANTA stops at the town end (2022)
    Saucon Valley south: LANTA's 2022 stop at the corridor's end, eastbound (24 m; Route 323) · LANTA's 2022 stop at the corridor's end, westbound (89 m; Route 323) · Coopersburg: none within 400 m; the nearest LANTA stop was 5.2 km away (Route 323)
  • Corridor
    Allentown corridor
    Route (illustrative)
    Downtown / Broad Street → W Broad St → Hanover Ave → E Hamilton St → Hamilton St → Linden St → Allentown Transportation Center (N 6th St)
    km
    8.98
    mi
    5.6
    min (model)
    17.5
  • Corridor
    Easton corridor
    Route (illustrative)
    North Bethlehem → Easton Ave → William Penn Hwy → Butler St → Walnut Ave → Northampton St → Easton Centre Square (Northampton St)
    km
    16.00
    mi
    9.9
    min (model)
    30.6
  • Corridor
    Nazareth corridor
    Route (illustrative)
    Bethlehem Square / US 22 → Nazareth Pike → S Broad St (PA 191) → Nazareth borough center (Broad St & Center St)
    km
    8.37
    mi
    5.2
    min (model)
    16.4
  • Corridor
    Bath corridor
    Route (illustrative)
    Moravian University → Center St → Bath Pike → Bath borough center (Main St & Northampton St)
    km
    11.69
    mi
    7.3
    min (model)
    22.6
  • Corridor
    Saucon Valley south and Coopersburg (PA 309) corridor
    Route (illustrative)
    Hellertown / Saucon Valley → W Water St → Friedensville Rd → Bingen Rd → Saucon Valley Rd → Saucon Valley south (at LANTA's 2022 stops at the corridor's end) → Local streets → PA 309 → Main St → N Main St → Coopersburg borough center (Main St & State St)
    km
    14.49
    mi
    9.0
    min (model)
    28.5

How the routes were chosen (our judgment)

The same road-class rule as the Airport Link: the shortest path after each street's length is multiplied by a road-class factor, so main roads win over residential cut-throughs. Each starts at the Phase 1 station nearest the town along main roads (Nazareth from Bethlehem Square, so only after the North expansion runs; until then, shared stops, timetables and a fare with LANTA), and ends at a town-center intersection or at the public street by an existing LANTA hub or stop. Not added: Northampton (LANTA Route 103 already ran there from Allentown in 2022) and a Hellertown–Coopersburg path on rural roads (Coopersburg is the end of the Saucon Valley south corridor on PA 309 instead).

Measured: Overture Maps 2026-09-23.1 streets over a wider area than Phase 1 (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL; build/analysis/extract_phase2.py) and the same USGS 3DEP 1/3″ terrain tile; LANTA GTFS feed, June–September 2022, service on Wednesday 22 June 2022. Project analysis, 20 Oct 2026 (build/analysis/network.py, phase2_corridors). Every Phase 1 number is unchanged by this addition.

Bus routes on every Connect line (LANTA, 2022)

From LANTA's newest feed that could be reached: June-Sept 2022 GTFS (feed_info start 2022-06-20, end 2022-09-06; calendar to 2022-09-11). The newest LANTA feed found on 2026-10-20 is from 2022: LANTA's own GTFS repository was last updated in June 2022, and the Mobility Database lists the same feed as deprecated. A newer feed, if LANTA publishes one, can be dropped in and the screening re-run (build/analysis/bus_overlap.py).

"Along": the share of the line's measured path within 50 m of a LANTA route's 2022 shape. Merge: a route shares at least 1 km and a quarter of the line, so the two would share one timetable and stops there. Feed: a route stops within 400 m of one of the line's stations or stops and brings riders from elsewhere (timed transfers). Replace: most of a route runs where the line would (no route meets that test). Rules: our judgment, a screening, not proposals to LANTA.

  • Connect line
    Connect SpinePhase 1 · conditional target 2029
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    31% of its 16.50 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 105 (Hellertown), 4.2 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 327, 100, 102, 605, 108, 220, 101, 215, 107, 323, 312, 103
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    Lehigh: Mountaintop Connector, Goodman Connector, Campus Connector, Packer Express and AccessLU · Transfer: Trans-Bridge at the Bethlehem Transportation Center · Transfer: Greyhound / FlixBus by the Bethlehem Transportation Center · Transfer: Trans-Bridge at the Hellertown Park & Ride (to confirm)
  • Connect line
    River LinePhase 1 · conditional target 2029
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    66% of its 2.51 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 105 (Hellertown), 1.5 km · Route 605 (Bethlehem Circulator), 1.5 km · Route 100 (Green Line), 1.2 km · Route 102 (Union Blvd Local), 1.2 km · Route 108 (Fountain Hill - East Hills), 1.2 km · Route 327 (Fountain Hill - LVIP IV), 1.2 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 323, 103, 101, 107, 215, 220, 312
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    Transfer: Trans-Bridge at the Bethlehem Transportation Center · Transfer: Greyhound / FlixBus by the Bethlehem Transportation Center
  • Connect line
    St. Luke's branchPhase 1 · conditional target 2029
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    80% of its 1.67 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 108 (Fountain Hill - East Hills), 1.3 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 327, 103, 323, 100, 102, 105, 605
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    None
  • Connect line
    Valley ExpressLater · only if demand supports it
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    89% of its 5.15 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 105 (Hellertown), 2.7 km · Route 215 (Schoenersville), 2.4 km · Route 605 (Bethlehem Circulator), 2.1 km · Route 100 (Green Line), 1.7 km · Route 102 (Union Blvd Local), 1.7 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 103, 323, 108, 327
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    Transfer: Trans-Bridge at Wind Creek · Transfer: Trans-Bridge at the Hellertown Park & Ride (to confirm)
  • Connect line
    Wind Creek extensionLater · only if demand supports it
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    100% of its 1.46 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 100 (Green Line), 1.5 km · Route 102 (Union Blvd Local), 1.5 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 323, 215, 103, 105, 605
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    Transfer: Trans-Bridge at Wind Creek
  • Connect line
    North expansion to Bethlehem SquareLater · only if demand supports it
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    31% of its 5.62 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 108 (Fountain Hill - East Hills), 1.6 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 319, 327, 220
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    None
  • Connect line
    Hanover Township (Northampton County) park extensionLater · only if demand supports it
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    7% of its 3.00 km
    Merge on shared streets
    None
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 215, 105
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    None
  • Connect line
    Bethlehem Township park extensionLater · only if demand supports it
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    45% of its 5.24 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 220 (Bethlehem - Easton), 1.3 km · Route 312 (Bethlehem - NCC - Nazareth), 1.3 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 108, 319, 327
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    None
  • Connect line
    Airport LinkPhase 2 · conditional target 2030
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    70% of its 7.99 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 215 (Schoenersville), 4.8 km · Route 105 (Hellertown), 3.8 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 101, 220, 100, 102, 107, 324, 319, 108, 327, 605, 312
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    Transfer: Trans-Bridge at the Bethlehem Transportation Center · Transfer: Greyhound / FlixBus by the Bethlehem Transportation Center · Transfer: Trans-Bridge at the ABE terminal
  • Connect line
    Allentown corridorPhase 2 · conditional target 2030
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    95% of its 8.98 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 220 (Bethlehem - Easton), 8.1 km · Route 107 (Hanover Ave), 8.0 km · Route 102 (Union Blvd Local), 3.0 km · Route 101 (Blue Line), 3.0 km · Route 100 (Green Line), 2.9 km · Route 324 (Airport), 2.6 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 215, 210, 103, 105, 108, 327, 605, 209, 211, 312, 104, 319, 213, 218
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    Transfer: Trans-Bridge at the Bethlehem Transportation Center · Transfer: Greyhound / FlixBus by the Bethlehem Transportation Center
  • Connect line
    Easton corridorPhase 2 · conditional target 2030
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    100% of its 16.00 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 101 (Blue Line), 10.8 km · Route 220 (Bethlehem - Easton), 10.4 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 106, 216, 214, 606
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    Transfer: Local and intercity buses at the Easton Intermodal Transportation Center
  • Connect line
    Nazareth corridorPhase 2 · conditional target 2030
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    76% of its 8.37 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 312 (Bethlehem - NCC - Nazareth), 5.7 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 216, 319, 327, 108
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    None
  • Connect line
    Bath corridorPhase 2 · conditional target 2030
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    40% of its 11.69 km
    Merge on shared streets
    Route 327 (Fountain Hill - LVIP IV), 4.7 km
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 220
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    None
  • Connect line
    Saucon Valley south and Coopersburg (PA 309) corridorPhase 2 · conditional target 2030
    Along LANTA routes (2022)
    17% of its 14.49 km
    Merge on shared streets
    None
    Feed at stations and stops
    Routes 323, 105
    Lehigh shuttles · intercity buses
    None

Feed: LANTA (Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority), June-Sept 2022 GTFS (feed_info start 2022-06-20, end 2022-09-06; calendar to 2022-09-11); looked for on 2026-10-20 in LANTA's own GTFS repository, github.com/LANTA-Transportation-Authority/GTFS-data: newest commit d10a6a0, 21 Jun 2022 ('June 2022 updates'); its lanta_gtfs_feed.zip is byte-identical to the feed used here; Mobility Database catalog entry 506 (mobility-database-catalogs, catalog as of 19 Oct 2026): status 'deprecated'; its latest stored copy is the same 2022 feed; Transitland, files.mobilitydatabase.org and lantabus.com could not be reached from this workspace (proxy refusal), so a newer feed, if one exists, was not found. Method: build/analysis/bus_overlap.py.

Lehigh shuttles and intercity buses at Connect places

Lehigh runs its shuttles and decides their future. Lehigh has agreed to nothing, and the plan's records show no request to Lehigh about merging or reducing shuttles. Fewer separate routes would not mean fewer buses on the hill: a 10-minute Spine would run about as many trips as Lehigh does today, or more (an estimate from schedule leads). The gondola (later idea): No street path, so no LANTA route runs along it; Lehigh's Mountaintop Connector serves the same University Center to Mountaintop / Iacocca Hall trip (lead). Source: auxiliaryservices.lehigh.edu/transit-route-information (and its route pages), search summaries retrieved 19 Oct 2026.

  • Shuttle
    Mountaintop Connector
    What it does (leads)
    Weekdays, Asa Packer campus to Mountaintop (stops include Iacocca Hall and Whitaker Lab), two buses, Fall 2025 schedule repeated for Spring 2026
    With Connect
    merge only if Lehigh choosesRuns the Spine's University Center to Mountaintop / Iacocca Hall trip on Lehigh's campus roads
  • Shuttle
    Goodman Connector
    What it does (leads)
    Weekdays, Goodman campus to Asa Packer (stops include Goodman Circle, Whitaker Lab and Farrington Square), one bus, Spring 2026; its road path is not known
    With Connect
    merge only if Lehigh choosesServes the same Goodman, Asa Packer and Farrington Square places as the Spine; the paths may differ
  • Shuttle
    Campus Connector
    What it does (leads)
    Evenings and weekends, Asa Packer, Mountaintop and Goodman campuses and Saucon Village (Spring 2026)
    With Connect
    merge only if Lehigh choosesCovers the Spine's three campus stations when the weekday connectors do not run
  • Shuttle
    Packer Express
    What it does (leads)
    Loop inside the Asa Packer campus only, weekdays in the fall and spring semesters (Spring 2026)
    With Connect
    transferConnect does not duplicate it; riders would change at the Lehigh University Center or Farrington Square
  • Shuttle
    AccessLU
    What it does (leads)
    Lehigh's on-demand accessible service
    With Connect
    keep (not duplicated)An on-demand accessible service would still be needed with any fixed line

Connect would never replace intercity coaches: riders would simply transfer. Every row is a lead from the project's research (search summaries and operator pages, retrieved 17–19 Oct 2026); current stops and times are to confirm with each operator.

  • Operator
    Trans-Bridge Lines
    Where
    Bethlehem Transportation Center (Broad St), by the Downtown / Broad Street station areaAllentown/Clinton/New York route (schedule effective 25 Jul 2025; a run added 10 Jul 2026)
    Connect lines
    Connect Spine, River Line, Airport Link, Allentown corridor
  • Operator
    Greyhound / FlixBus
    Where
    635 Guetter St, by the Bethlehem Transportation CenterStop listed for Greyhound and FlixBus schedules
    Connect lines
    Connect Spine, River Line, Airport Link, Allentown corridor
  • Operator
    Trans-Bridge Lines
    Where
    Wind Creek BethlehemWind Creek schedule effective 8 Jun 2026: Trans-Bridge intercity coaches between New York's Port Authority Bus Terminal and Wind Creek, with stops on the way
    Connect lines
    Valley Express, Wind Creek extension
  • Operator
    Trans-Bridge Lines
    Where
    ABE airport passenger terminalTrans-Bridge intercity coaches leave from ABE (reservation-only, since 8 Sep 2025)
    Connect lines
    Airport Link
  • Operator
    Trans-Bridge Lines
    Where
    Hellertown Park & Ride (Silvex Rd near I-78 Exit 67)Listed on Allentown/Clinton westbound timetables of Sep and Oct 2025; which runs stop there today is to confirm, and so is whether it is the lot Connect's I-78 Park & Ride would use
    Connect lines
    Connect Spine, Valley Express
  • Operator
    LANTA, NJ Transit, Greyhound, Trans-Bridge and Fullington Trailways
    Where
    Easton Intermodal Transportation Center (opened 2015)Reported to serve these operators' local and intercity buses
    Connect lines
    Easton corridor
Hospitals and health campuses

Hospitals run around the clock, so staff, patients and visitors need early, late and weekend service. Naming a hospital here implies no partnership: no hospital has been asked or has agreed to anything.

  • St. Luke’s University Hospital – Bethlehem

    St. Luke’s University Health Network (main campus; adult Level I trauma center) · 801 Ostrum St · Fountain Hill Borough

    Phase 1 · St. Luke's branch stop

    The St. Luke's branch: 1.67 km from Farrington Square via W 4th St to one stop on Ostrum St, about 3.8 min (model).

    Today: LANTA Route 108, seven days a week; some evening trips were cut in June 2026.

    Future train access: About 4 minutes by bus from the rail-ready stop at Farrington Square.

  • Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg

    Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health (adult Level II trauma center) · 2545 Schoenersville Rd · City of Bethlehem, north of US 22

    Phase 2 · Airport Link stop

    Not in Phase 1. The Airport Link (Phase 2, only if LANTA agrees) would stop on Schoenersville Rd at the hospital's middle driveway: 4.36 km from Downtown (model; the walk to an entrance is to confirm).

    Today: LANTA Routes 105 and 324 list a hospital stop; some evening trips were cut in June 2026.

    Future train access: Today, none. With the Airport Link (Phase 2): about 8.8 min from Downtown (model, measured outbound); Downtown is 3.3 min from the rail-ready stop at Farrington Square.

  • St. Luke’s Hospital – Anderson Campus

    St. Luke’s University Health Network (Heart Hospital opened 2 Oct 2026) · 1872 St. Luke’s Blvd · Bethlehem Township (Easton mailing address)

    Not in the plan

    7–9 km from the nearest Phase 1 stop. LANTA remains the connection; the Phase 2 Easton corridor does not pass the campus.

    Today: LANTA Route 312 on weekdays (weekend service to confirm).

    Future train access: Long-term only.

What hospital stops would need

Early, late and weekend trips timed to shift changes; a drop-off and paratransit zone kept clear of ambulance routes; heated or sheltered waiting; and a short, lit, accessible path to a main entrance. See the St. Luke's stop's amenity ratings.

Names and service change

Lehigh Valley Health Network has been part of Jefferson Health since 1 August 2024; its hospitals still use their Lehigh Valley Hospital names as of October 2026. LANTA changed service in June 2025, January 2026 and June 2026, so check current names and timetables before relying on this table.

Sources (retrieved 18 Oct 2026): slhn.org (St. Luke's Bethlehem and Anderson campus pages; Heart Hospital opening, 2 Oct 2026); lvhn.org (LVH–Muhlenberg location and Level II trauma pages); lehighvalleynews.com (Jefferson–LVHN combination, 1 Aug 2024); lantabus.com (Routes 105, 108, 312 and 324; June 2026 service changes). Distances: Overture Maps pedestrian and street networks (project analysis). Municipalities are to confirm with county parcel data.