Is the Lehigh Valley merging with the New York Metro? (Philadelphia: condos, houses)

[UrbanQuest]

I think know might be a fair time to analyze this possibility. There has been a huge amount of sprawl in the Lehigh Valley directly attributed to New York/New Jersey commuters. In fact, the North Jersey/NY people are now interested in living in the cities of of the area. Easton and Bethlehem being the obvious ones. I have looked at the commuting patterns between the Lehigh Valley counties. The 15% commuter threshold for Northampton county is achived with NY/NJ and Allentown. When you look at the Lehigh Valley as a whole the 15% requirement is probably not met as Carbon County is also included in the Lehigh Valley metro. I could definitely see Northampton and obviously Warren county, NJ joining the New York Metro. This is difficult however because Allentown and Bethlehem are so closely intertwined. I don't see them splitting up. I know people in Macungie commute to New York, but I imagine that must be a small number.

What do you guys think?

[toobusytoday]

I hope not. I LIKE regional differences and the unique feel of the Lehigh Valley, and do not want to be considered part of NYC.

Practically, until regional rail comes to this area I don't think that there will be a surge of newcomers to Bethlehem and regions west of it. It's just too far of a commute. Easton area and the areas around there are probably not too bad of a commute, especially for people that will be commuting to North Jersey and not Manhattan. I know several pilots actually that are based in Newark and live here.

[PA.Dutchman]

The only people I know that want a Railroad link to New York and Jersey are people who have relocated here from New York and Jersey.

The locals have lived successfully and happily for many decades without any kind of link to New York or Jersey or PR.

The bus business has brought enough trouble into the area already.

It has been established some of the cars stolen are taken by people who took the bus here and drove back in a car they stole in the valley.

[loose cannon]

i do not share these small minded mentalities. If people want to move, let them move. I would like a train because it would be helpful to those who rely on public transportation. It would be easier for people to attend a concert in NYC and not have to stay overnight. Although, sometimes that is fun if the money is there. As far as buses the Bieber and Trans Bridge buses should expand their service by having buses leave Port Authority at 1 or 2 in the morning. Bus service to Philly should also be improved. Right now it is terrible.

[toobusytoday]

I like the idea of public transit in theory, it's better for the environment to have a mass amount of people taking trains or buses instead of individually driving. However, I've moved from places that were pleasant small towns and are now suburbia supreme due to improved sewers and excessive development. I love new people, new ideas but I don't want our farmland taken away and houses built and our schools overcrowded because it is now convenient to live here.

[PacoMartin]

Originally Posted by UrbanQuest

I think know might be a fair time to analyze this possibility. There has been a huge amount of sprawl in the Lehigh Valley directly attributed to New York/New Jersey commuters. In fact, the North Jersey/NY people are now interested in living in the cities of of the area. Easton and Bethlehem being the obvious ones. I have looked at the commuting patterns between the Lehigh Valley counties. The 15% commuter threshold for Northampton county is achived with NY/NJ and Allentown. When you look at the Lehigh Valley as a whole the 15% requirement is probably not met as Carbon County is also included in the Lehigh Valley metro. I could definitely see Northampton and obviously Warren county, NJ joining the New York Metro. This is difficult however because Allentown and Bethlehem are so closely intertwined. I don't see them splitting up. I know people in Macungie commute to New York, but I imagine that must be a small number.

What do you guys think?

Yes.

[PacoMartin]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I like the idea of public transit in theory, it's better for the environment to have a mass amount of people taking trains or buses instead of individually driving.

Everybody likes public transit in theory. They wish all those cars would get off the road so they can drive the speed limit.

I have to hand it to George Clooney. He has all of his political and social causes, but he won't support environmental causes. He says that he has a mansion on Lake Cuomo in northern Italy, and he flies in private jets. He is not about to give up those perks, so he would be a fraud to tell people to reduce their carbon footprint.

[blazerj]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I like the idea of public transit in theory, it's better for the environment to have a mass amount of people taking trains or buses instead of individually driving. However, I've moved from places that were pleasant small towns and are now suburbia supreme due to improved sewers and excessive development. I love new people, new ideas but I don't want our farmland taken away and houses built and our schools overcrowded because it is now convenient to live here.

That's a zoning and township issue. There are plenty of areas in NJ that are almost exactly like they were 100 years ago, and that's because the townships wanted to keep tract homes, strip malls, and condos out.

[blazerj]

Originally Posted by UrbanQuest

I think know might be a fair time to analyze this possibility. There has been a huge amount of sprawl in the Lehigh Valley directly attributed to New York/New Jersey commuters. In fact, the North Jersey/NY people are now interested in living in the cities of of the area. Easton and Bethlehem being the obvious ones. I have looked at the commuting patterns between the Lehigh Valley counties. The 15% commuter threshold for Northampton county is achived with NY/NJ and Allentown. When you look at the Lehigh Valley as a whole the 15% requirement is probably not met as Carbon County is also included in the Lehigh Valley metro. I could definitely see Northampton and obviously Warren county, NJ joining the New York Metro. This is difficult however because Allentown and Bethlehem are so closely intertwined. I don't see them splitting up. I know people in Macungie commute to New York, but I imagine that must be a small number.

What do you guys think?

Didn't that other thread show that there are not as many commuters going to NJ/NY as people thought?

[jimmyrocks]

The entire region (Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, Lehigh Valley) is growing, it only makes sense that the land in between is slowly getting built on. I did some of the commuter statistics, but it only shows from county to county.

I wouldn't say someone living in Coopersburg and working in Quakertown is commuting to the Philadelphia area, and I wouldn't say someone living in Hackettstown, NJ commuting to Mt. Olive, NJ is really commuting from the Lehigh Valley to the New York area.

In fact, I really don't agree with Warren County even being included in the Lehigh Valley metro area. I understand Phillipsburg, but Hackettstown? I guess Mars does hire a lot of Moravian grads. I was going to do some more metrics on Warren county, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.