A Bigger Lehigh Valley Isn't Better

When bigger isn't better

For decades we've had it drummed into our heads growth will make the Lehigh Valley a better place to live. This has always defied my reasoning. We construct more buildings. More people come. More people means build more buildings in a never ending circle.

Initially transplants located here to enjoy the rich rural scenery and enjoy a lower paced life style then the one they left behind. Many purchased single homes away from the hustle and bustle. A few years later dozens of homes popped up around them no longer offering the tranquil settings they once enjoyed.


Soon larger highways were needed. Larger highways with better accessibility began to attract larger business. Shortly thereafter industrial parks began to spring up around them. More industrial parks attracted more people. More people needed more homes.

More people meant more stores. More stores meant ever more traffic headaches and yes more people too.

As result the Lehigh Valley has become nearly identical to what many tried to escape from. Five miles outside of town where farm fields once were plowed there are now townhouses, apartments and single homes spread twenty feet apart in ever increasing numbers. One industrial park after another is continuously being built. Accident prone highways are now jammed at rush hours despite the ever continuous expansion of them.

Quality Over Quantity
Allentown once attracted 10,000's to Hamilton Street long before we had these humongous eyesores built downtown. If you look at today's pedestrian traffic on Hamilton Street it should become obvious to everyone no matter how many or how tall you build them new people arriving here are going to fill up more of what's left of former farmers' fields before considering a visit to downtown.

One would think with all this fabulous growth schools and local government funding would benefit. Instead both are faced with ever increasing budget deficits. Despite the figures we've been told, do people feel safer then they did before all this growth no matter the area?

In short all this growth nonsense is a bunch of hooey in my view. All one need do is look at who's promoting and benefiting from it.

We had all we needed. Trains, farm orchards, amusement parks, etc.

It wasn't as though we lived in the dark ages.