City Council members held a public hearing last week on a proposed street vacation from the Bethlehem Parking Authority and Best Suites Hospitality, LLC. The Parking Authority and Best Suites have petitioned the city to vacate part of Graham Place from South New Street to Vine Street to make room for a parking garage at Third and New streets.

Council President J. William Reynolds told the audience that council would not vote on the street vacation or the garage at this meeting. The public hearing was an opportunity for residents to make statements and ask questions. While Reynolds asked speakers to keep comments to the proposed street vacation and not the garage, which was not the focus of the hearing, many did comment on the garage as a topic directly related to the street vacation.

Director of Planning and Zoning Darlene Heller said the plan was reviewed by the Planning Commission on March 10.

Resident Kim Carrell-Smith said the traffic changes involved would cause increased gridlock in an already congested area.

Resident Greg Zubrowski said the cost and size of the garage are outdated. “It’s like “Back to the Future,” he said. “We should call it the Michael J. Fox garage.”

The size of the garage depends on the two anchor tenants in the proposed attached building. If these tenants, Lehigh University and St. Luke’s University Health Network, decide to go elsewhere, the city could be stuck with the garage costs for the term of the 30 year bond. Resident Steve Melnick said no landlord would write a 30-year lease. “We should act with fiscal responsibility,” he said.

Dwight Taylor, partner of Taylor Family gas station, questioned if changing the traffic patterns due to the street vacation would add traffic to the already congested area. He was concerned that the city would have to take part of the property by eminent domain in the future to relieve congestion caused by the street vacation changes.

Bruce Haines, co-owner of Hotel Bethlehem, said the traffic study related to the Southside parking was faulty and needs to be redone.

David Miles, Comfort Suites attorney, said the proposed changes would make it difficult for buses and trucks servicing the hotel to enter, and asked for another entrance on Third Street.

Mike Celente, an environmental engineering student at Lehigh, and Devon Dowd, another Lehigh student, presented a study on particulate matter done at peak traffic times in Southside showing unhealthy levels of pollution, and emphasized this would only increase with the proposed traffic changes.

Resident Al Wurth pointed out to council members that no one spoke in favor of the street vacation, or said it would lead to less congestion.

Resident William Seixas said a very simple way to assess the possible impact of the street vacation would be to temporarily shut down the street as proposed and see the effect on traffic.

Resident Steven Antalics said the proposed parking garage and attached building would “destroy the ambiance of Southside. “Something is really out of line here. They just don’t fit,” he said.