traffic on 22/78 in the morning/afternoon? (Bethlehem, Emmaus: school, university, move)

[crackers8199]

simple question - what time does rush hour traffic usually get bad on 22 and 78 in the morning/afternoon rush hours?

[crackers8199]

anyone?

[JohnZ963]

Be more specific. What direction and where at? 78 eastbound in Phillipsburg at 730am is a world of difference from 78 westbound in Lower Macungie at 7:30am.

[crackers8199]

specifically, the sections between the 22/78 split and lehigh university (bethlehem/hellertown exit off 78, i believe it's exit 71 - the exit for 378 off of 22).

[JohnZ963]

Originally Posted by crackers8199

specifically, the sections between the 22/78 split and lehigh university (bethlehem/hellertown exit off 78, i believe it's exit 71 - the exit for 378 off of 22).

The only part of 78 that really slows down is the westbound part from the 78/22 split to Route 100 in the PM rush. It still moves though, maybe 40mph instead of 65. It's just heavy because two highways come together and then 3-4 lanes go down to 2, plus there is a lot of large truck traffic.

As for 22, it's heavy both ways during both rush hours, but some parts move better than others. The worst parts in the afternoon seem to be eastbound starting at about 5pm between Route 309 and 145/7th Street, and westbound starting at your 378 exit around 4pm until getting past either 145/7th Street or 15th Street. The reverse in the morning doesn't always seem quite as slow.

As an alternate commute to Lehigh U avoiding Rt. 22, you could stay on 78 and take it to either the 145/Summit Lawn exit (and take 4th St to Emmaus Ave to Broadway into south Bethlehem) or Rt. 412/Hellertown in to south Bethlehem.

Also be advised that 378 south going over the hill-to-hill bridge in Bethlehem is generally a parking lot in the PM rush hour.

Overall this is generally a decent commute to have since you've got a couple of options.

[crackers8199]

Originally Posted by JohnZ963

The only part of 78 that really slows down is the westbound part from the 78/22 split to Route 100 in the PM rush. It still moves though, maybe 40mph instead of 65. It's just heavy because two highways come together and then 3-4 lanes go down to 2, plus there is a lot of large truck traffic.

As for 22, it's heavy both ways during both rush hours, but some parts move better than others. The worst parts in the afternoon seem to be eastbound starting at about 5pm between Route 309 and 145/7th Street, and westbound starting at your 378 exit around 4pm until getting past either 145/7th Street or 15th Street. The reverse in the morning doesn't always seem quite as slow.

As an alternate commute to Lehigh U avoiding Rt. 22, you could stay on 78 and take it to either the 145/Summit Lawn exit (and take 4th St to Emmaus Ave to Broadway into south Bethlehem) or Rt. 412/Hellertown in to south Bethlehem.

Also be advised that 378 south going over the hill-to-hill bridge in Bethlehem is generally a parking lot in the PM rush hour.

Overall this is generally a decent commute to have since you've got a couple of options.

so if i were commuting to be @ Lehigh around 8am, i'd probably be OK going either way? i prefer to take 22 because it's a shorter route, but i know it's usually worse as far as traffic goes (at least as far as I remember from my LV experience). i'd probably be hitting the 22/78 split around 7:30ish...

[JohnZ963]

It should be a decent ride, but may have a few spots where it slows down to 30-40mph. You will want to make a "test run" during rush hour a couple of days before you have to report for work/school.

[crackers8199]

what are your thoughts on 78 to 309 south to saucon valley rd / center valley pkwy to 378 north? google maps showed me that as another alternate route...

[Las Brisas Del Pacifico]

where exactly are you driving to?

[JohnZ963]

Originally Posted by crackers8199

what are your thoughts on 78 to 309 south to saucon valley rd / center valley pkwy to 378 north? google maps showed me that as another alternate route...

That's not a bad ride, although there are more traffic lights, so that may not help the overall time.

378 North does get jammed sometimes going down the hill into S. Bethlehem.