Allentown sits on the Lehigh River at the heart of the Lehigh Valley, with I-78 running along the southern edge of the city toward Harrisburg and Easton and US 22, the Lehigh Valley Thruway, running along the north side between the western suburbs, Whitehall, Bethlehem and Easton. The Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension, I-476, passes along the western edge, and PA 309 heads south toward Quakertown and Philadelphia and north toward the mountains.
Hamilton Street is the main street through Center City, while Tilghman Street, Union Boulevard and Cedar Crest Boulevard carry traffic out to the suburbs, and MacArthur Road, PA 145, runs north into the big shopping districts of Whitehall. US 22 is one of the most congested roads in the region, with short on-ramps, tight merges and heavy truck traffic, and a breakdown there at rush hour backs up traffic across the valley. The Lehigh River and the Little Lehigh Creek split the city, so bridges like the Tilghman Street and Eighth Street spans funnel cross-town trips.
Lehigh Valley International Airport sits northeast of the city near US 22, and LANta buses link Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton. Muhlenberg College and Cedar Crest College sit on the west side, with Lehigh University in Bethlehem and Lafayette College in Easton. The warehouse and distribution centers along I-78 and Route 100 in the western suburbs run around the clock, and their shift changes add to rush hour on the highways.
For a mobile mechanic, Allentown is a mix of rowhouse blocks and driveways. Center City and the older neighborhoods have rowhouses with street parking and narrow rear alleys, while the West End and the suburbs have driveways and garages. Warehouse lots are big and easy to work in when the employer allows outside service, and the mechanic can often finish a repair during a shift.