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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2009 > November > 24 > Entry
Editorial: Razing the trestle might not work
Last month’s stabbing of a Miami Valley Hospital nurse by a homeless sex offender has people legitimately concerned about a group of squatters living outdoors near Stewart Street and Patterson Boulevard.
But using a wrecking ball to solve problems of crime or homelessness probably won’t work and may result in something valuable being torn down.
Dayton officials said last week they were in talks with the Norfolk Southern Railway Corp. about demolishing an unused railroad trestle that crosses over Patterson Boulevard just north of Stewart Street. When notified that some homeless individuals are living on the trestle in tents, railway officials told the city they are open to razing it.
But would that really fix the problem?
Homeless people live all around the area of the trestle, including in the woods on the west side of the road between Patterson Boulevard and the Great Miami River. Even if taking out the trestle chases them away, they’ll move some place else, probably nearby.
Periodically police have forced them from the secluded area, only to have them return. It’s also hard to see how demolition of the railroad bridge would reduce crime. James Cundiff, 42, the suspect in the nurse’s stabbing, reportedly lived on the bridge. Who’s to say he wouldn’t still have been in the area, even without the trestle?
For the sake of its employees, patients and visitors who were upset by the incident, Miami Valley has every right to be concerned about people loitering near its campus or intimidating people in the vicinity. That, of course, is why security details, lighting, fencing, and other precautions are essential at any hospital where people are coming and going at all hours, but all the more so at an urban campus.
Dealing with the homeless is difficult. Some can be directed toward shelters that can help get them back on their feet and off the streets. But many reject any sort of helping hand.
Sometimes they’re mentally ill; sometimes they’re addicted to alcohol or drugs. A good step would be to try to coax those living outdoors to go to a shelter. If that doesn’t work, police have to act. You don’t get to build a home on public land or private land that’s not yours just because it’s out of the way.
As for tearing down the trestle, city officials have to think this through. The bridge is in a useful location, not far from the former NCR property that the University of Dayton hopes to develop into a “west campus.”
On the other side of Patterson Boulevard is the river corridor, which includes a popular bikeway and other recreational opportunities. There’s an unused veterans park and parking nearby.
Rather than demolish the bridge, could the area be redeveloped as an attractive connector from the burgeoning Brown Street marketplace, the Fairgrounds neighborhood and the future UD west campus to the river corridor?
It could be a crossing point over busy Patterson Boulevard that wouldn’t require pedestrians or cyclists to navigate a busy intersection at Stewart Street. Improvements and increased activity will permanently discourage the homeless from setting up because what they’re looking for is seclusion.
Though the trestle is dilapidated, once it’s down, recreating something like it would be expensive. Some day soon a bridge could be an important piece of infrastructure. The worst thing to happen would be for the trestle to be torn down and for the homeless still to be congregating in places where they don’t belong. Before the wrecking ball is brought in, people need to be confident that the trestle itself is the problem.
Permalink | Comments (18) | Post your comment | Categories: Editorials, Law Enforcement and Public Safety, Scott Elliott, Social Services
Comments
By Grandma Sue
November 24, 2009 10:51 AM | Link to this
3 weeks before James Cundiff was alleged to have attacked the nurses WHO CORNERED HIM, he was ordered by Sheriff Phil Plummer to pay $100 annually to register as a sex offender, (newly enacted county law because the coffers were low). Where was James to come up with the money? There is no indication that any of Cundiff’s attacks were sexually motivated. They instead, appear to have been robbery attempts. Why would he need money? Possibly to pay Sheriff Phil’s eSORN tax???
By Scott
November 24, 2009 11:30 AM | Link to this
Yea I’ve heard about the gangs of nurses roming the MVH parking lot looking for tier 3 criminal sex offenders to corner. I’m sure what was on his mind as he tried to slice this woman’s throat is, “I’ve got to pay that fine I owe!” This piece of garbage needs to be sent away, and in UD and MVH want to clean up the area, more power to them.
By Biff
November 24, 2009 11:41 AM | Link to this
What, are you HIS grandmother, “Sue”? They “cornered” him? With a knife? These freaking deviants need to be locked up for life to prevent EXACTLY this type of behavior. So what, $100. per year. Why don’t YOU let him stay at your house. NOBODY cares to read the vile nonsense spewing from your mouth.
By Rich
November 24, 2009 12:00 PM | Link to this
Well, once again we see the DDN conveniently erase an uncomfortable truth. The original editorial, complete with the improper word “raising” used instead of “razing”, has disappeared into the ether, along with all the associated comments. As the Church Lady used to say, “How convenient!” It’s just like it never happened…this has happened repeatedly for years on all such Cox sites. Doesn’t seem quite kosher to me.
By Albert Johnson
November 24, 2009 1:40 PM | Link to this
Save the bridge and raze the homeless who dont want to live by the rulse and stay in the shelders where they belong
By Albert Johnson
November 24, 2009 1:41 PM | Link to this
Save the bridge and raze the homeless who dont want to live by the rulse and stay in the shelders where they belong
By Albert Johnson
November 24, 2009 1:42 PM | Link to this
Save the bridge and raze the homeless who dont want to live by the rulse and stay in the shelders where they belong
By Albert Johnson
November 24, 2009 1:42 PM | Link to this
Save the bridge and raze the homeless who dont want to live by the rulse and stay in the shelders where they belong
By Biff
November 24, 2009 2:22 PM | Link to this
I’m sorry, what’s that, Albert Johnson? Tip: Hit post comment only once. It takes a couple minutes to post…
By Rob
November 24, 2009 3:41 PM | Link to this
and here I thought we were having a grand ol’ time with the “Raise the Bridge” article. DDN Weenies.
By Leon Harrison
November 24, 2009 7:57 PM | Link to this
During the Winter Holidays, their liberal friends will take them in and share their houses with their kids and spouses, homeless placement being relocated to their basements and spare rooms.
By Leon Harrison
November 24, 2009 7:59 PM | Link to this
During the Winter Holidays, their liberal friends will take them in and share their houses with their kids and spouses, homeless placement being relocated to their spare rooms and basements.
By Emily
November 24, 2009 9:39 PM | Link to this
Never have I seen such unfeeling people, and so close to Thanksgiving too. Wow. What, did your hearts shrivel up and die? What’s that parable about teaching a man to fish…? Homelessness doesn’t have to be permanent, but it takes concerned citizens like you and me to spur that kind of change in a person’s life.
By ironmyke
November 24, 2009 11:37 PM | Link to this
Like slum clearance projects of old tearing down an old railroad bridge will not fix the big social problem we have with all the homeless people. It just moves the problem somewhere else. Leave the bridge alone. Spend the money doing something beneficial to help those people and the people they threaten.
By fortressdayton
November 25, 2009 12:02 AM | Link to this
Rich, you beat me to it…. Censorship is censorship even if it happens because the proofreaders can’t spell. Do they even use proofreaders anymore? If they don’t, they should. ‘Raise’ ? Gimme a break. Maybe they’ll do that in the next ‘physical’ year!
By Boss Kettering
November 25, 2009 3:54 AM | Link to this
How about turning the NCR world headquarters into a homeless shelter. Lots of space going to waste there and grounds could become campsites. Then you save the bridge and make use of good use of some property.
By RAW
November 25, 2009 10:13 AM | Link to this
It is obvious that those of you complaining about the lack of compassion have either never or have rarely worked with homeless individuals. I have volunteered repeatedly at activities specifically designed to help these people get information about education, job coaching, etc. Most refuse to listen or decline to take the help. The reporter writing the article got that part right. THe homeless know that handouts and crime are much easier than actually having to work to improve their lives. Some will commit crimes simply to go to jail for the free living quarters and meals. They have nothing to lose and at that point have basically condemed themselves to the life as a result of the criminal act. It will prevent them from gaining regular, livable wage employment, probably for the rest of their lives, which completetes the cycle. The only real solution to this problem is to bring people back to the area around the trestle. The bike path and connector to Brown Street would accomplish that, but it would require periodic, random and heavy law enforcement presence to prevent the homeless from retaking the area over time. We will not solve the homeless problem entirely. We need to help the individuals who want help. Education and job opportunities are a key to this problem, but there are many in that community that would prefer to continue in that lifestyle or are incapable of making the necessary changes to remove themselves from that life. There is no easy solution to that problem. All we can really do is protect ourselves against problems that they may create.
By Albert Johnson
November 25, 2009 12:03 PM | Link to this
Give the homeless a empty trashbag and a stick with a nail on one end. If they come back with the bag full of trash give them something to eat. If the back is empty no food no housing just a cold rock to sleep on.