On Jan. 22, State Sen. Nick Miller, D-14th, joined Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission to announce a $6 million investment for the widening of Route 22 from the Fullerton Avenue interchange to Airport Road. The funding will be used to complete engineering plans, purchase land and move utilities.

Miller previously secured $1 million in 2023 for the LVPC to conduct an update on the route corridor study to provide a safer, better experience.

“Today’s $6 million investment marks the start of improving travel for thousands of Lehigh Valley residents and visitors by widening Route 22 from the Fullerton Avenue interchange to Airport Road to three lanes, making this busy corridor safer and more efficient for the Lehigh Valley,” Miller said. “This long-overdue investment is one I’ve championed since taking office — strengthening our transportation network to improve congestion and support the region’s growing economy. For families and visitors alike, this will lead to smoother, safer travel and more time to enjoy all the Lehigh Valley has to offer.”

“With nearly 110,000 vehicles each day, Route 22 at the Lehigh River Bridge is one of the busiest and most congested corridors in the region,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said. “The Lehigh Valley is growing quickly, and the improvements we’re making along this corridor will help ensure that people and goods can move safely and efficiently, keeping people connected to their friends, family and the local economy.”

Becky Bradley, LVPC executive director, emphasized congestion on the Fullerton interchange to Airport Road not only delays travel but also creates significant safety risks, ranking this segment among the most hazardous, with 13 serious injuries and one fatality in recent years.

“For that reason, this $6 million investment for preliminary engineering will go a long way in jump-starting a project to reduce congestion, improve safety and potentially save lives,” Bradley said. “As a growing region where motorists are logging nearly one million more miles every day than they were a decade ago, we’d like to thank Sen. Miller and Secretary Carroll for targeting these investments where they can have the greatest impact.”

This past June, Miller proposed Senate Bill 859, a bill aimed to release appropriated funding from the Highway Capital Budget Project Itemization Act of 2014-2015 to expand Route 22 throughout the Lehigh Valley, extending from 15th Street to Airport Road, including the city of Bethlehem and Hanover, South Whitehall and Whitehall townships.

Route 22 has been the backbone of the Lehigh Valley since its opening in 1954, connecting communities and fueling economic growth. Today, it remains the region’s busiest corridor, serving more than 100,000 travelers daily and supporting a thriving regional economy.