Train trestle used by homeless should go, city says

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Cindy Dant and Isaac Black, both of Cincinnati, are living in a tent on the railroad trestle above South Patterson Boulevard. The couple and eight or so others living on the trestle are afraid they will lose their residence if the railroad or the city kick them out.

Jim Noelker/Staff photographer Cindy Dant and Isaac Black, both of Cincinnati, are living in a tent on the railroad trestle above South Patterson Boulevard. The couple and eight or so others living on the trestle are afraid they will lose their residence if the railroad or the city kick them out.

By Lucas Sullivan, Staff Writer Updated 11:09 AM Wednesday, November 18, 2009

DAYTON — City officials are in discussions with the Norfolk Southern Railway Corp. to tear down an abandoned train trestle bridge now used as a tent-housing complex by the area’s homeless.

Engineers from the city and railway company examined the bridge that runs over South Patterson Boulevard, just south of Apple Street, within the last two weeks, city spokesman Tom Biedenharn confirmed Monday, Nov. 16. He said no decision has been made about the bridge’s fate.

Norfolk Southern owns the bridge and must give the go-ahead to have it torn down.

“City officials brought this to our attention two weeks ago,” said Rudy Husband, spokesman for Norfolk Southern. “Right now we’re just in the process of exploring various options. We are going to work with the city and come up with a solution that works for everybody.”

The bridge for years has been the turf of homeless people who refuse to stay in area shelters, police said. Numerous tents have popped up on the bridge, though police on more than one occasion have tried to chase the vagabonds off.

Cindy Dant, one of nearly a dozen homeless living on the bridge, said news of the bridge possibly coming down is hard to take.

“We are not bad people up here,” she said. “There have been some bad people living here and we’ve taken care of getting them out. But most of us up here just need a break. We need something good to happen.”

Dant, 40, who has been living in a tent on the bridge for nine months, said city officials can help her and others find affordable apartments, but choose to treat her as a nuisance.

“I’ve been with Isaac (Black) for 26 years and I have health problems,” Dant said. “I need to have surgery on my back, but I can’t rehab in this tent, man. We just need some help. Not much, a little.”

Police said many living in the tents refuse to stay in area shelters because of the rules they must follow.

The bridge also was home to James Cundiff, 42, a homeless Tier III sex offender recently indicted in numerous attacks on women.

Norfolk Southern officials were reportedly taken aback by the conditions on the bridge and are open to having it torn down, city officials said.

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