So, we are finally back, and we’re welcomed by the frosty weather brought to Bethlehem. At first, snow feels charming, looks pretty, and is definitely festive, and gives everybody the universal excuse to complain collectively about it (which, yes, I have done multiple times). That charm disappears very quickly when you realize the sidewalks have turned into an obstacle course and the road has become the safest place to walk. Yes, the road …where cars drive.
Tell me why I am literally walking in traffic just to avoid these massive piles left behind after the most recent storm. Lucky for me, I found out that Bethlehem homeowners and businesses are responsible for clearing their own sidewalks, which sounds great in theory. In reality, it means some sidewalks are pristine, while others look as if they were abandoned and forgotten. The result? Pedestrians playing a daily game of “guess which path won’t kill me or make me fall like an idiot.”
This is especially frustrating in a city full of students who rely on walking to get to the places they need to go. At my current placement for student teaching, there are many students who walk every day. When sidewalks are blocked, they are forced into the streets, and god forbid drivers use their eyes to see us navigating the icy roads and the current snowbanks that are taller than most people’s common sense. It seems walking safely is a luxury reserved for the warmer months.
Let’s not pretend this affects only pedestrians. Cars are still buried in snow days after the storm, as if the plan is to simply let nature handle it. Like, seriously, you can’t park anywhere? People are getting stuck just trying to leave their parking spots, spinning their wheels like it’s some kind of winter fitness test. Do people not care that their car might literally die due to the temperature? The last time I checked, batteries don’t exactly thrive in freezing temperatures, especially when it sits trapped in snow piles for literal days. But sure, let’s act surprised when the car suddenly doesn’t work.
What makes this even better is the complete lack of urgency. Snow piles sit there long enough to become emotionally attached to the sidewalk. By the time anybody does anything about it, the snow has frozen solid, thus turning sidewalks into ice rinks and lovely parking spots that are already limited into permanent visions of procrastination. At this point, shoveling now is no longer helpful; maybe use a flamethrower, I guess.
Can we also talk about the timing? Wouldn’t it make sense to shovel once the storm is actually over? Instead, snow is half-cleared, ignored overnight, and then left to freeze overnight when the temperature drops. The next morning, pedestriansare slipping, cars are stuck, and everyone is wondering how this happened. Welcome to PA – it’s winter time, so this should not be a shock to anyone.
The real issue here is accountability, or the lack of it, and common sense. When sidewalks and parking areas are left untouched, it’s unclear who is responsible or if anyone plans to fix them at all. While the city technically enforces snow removal rules, I think enforcement feels optional at best. Meanwhile, students, workers, and residents are left to navigate unsafe conditions because clearing snow apparently ranks low on the priority list.
This problem affects far more than just able-bodied adults. Older adults, people with disabilities, and anyone who relies on public transportation are hit the hardest by this neglect. If you can’t safely reach your car or walk to a bus stop, you’re effectively stranded. For a city that prides itself on being walkable and student-friendly, winter conditions suggest otherwise.
If Bethlehem truly wants to support its residents and the public at large, snow removal needs to be treated as a shared responsibility, not a “figure it out yourself” situation that is most likely to be used. Sidewalks, streets, and parking areas are essential infrastructure, not optional extras to be left as an afterthought. Leaving people to walk in the road or dig their cars out of ice for days is not just inconvenient; it’s just unsafe.
Winter weather is unavoidable. Walking in traffic, slipping on ice, and praying your car battery survives the week absolutely are. With better planning, quicker action, and actual accountability, Bethlehem could make winter less of a survival sport and more of a season people can safely get through.
