The Glenn Street Bridge Project is geathering to fight what they call a corridor of crime and garbage. At the center of it: an aging bridge.
This extra is attached to this story, click modify to view or change it
UPDATE: 02/13/12
On Friday, neighbors and Civic leaders in Mechanicsville held a meeting to discuss their action plan for the troubled Glenn Street Bridge. While the bridge has spots where the facade is crumbling and broken safety lighting, perhaps the biggest challenge is dealing the with bridge's owner; Norfolk Southern Railroad. The group is now determined to get the reluctant railroad to step up and address their concerns.
The Department of Natural Resources also met us on site to evaluate reports about an increase in rodents and other wildlife in the area.
02/08/12 ATLANTA-- Neighbors in Mechanicsville are gathering to fight what they call a corridor of crime and garbage. At the center of it all is a bridge shedding pieces of concrete onto passing cars and pedestrians.
A group calling themselves The Glenn Street Bridge Project has been working on solutions since 2009. They haven't had much luck. When they called 11Alive News, we put a team of journalists to work finding answers and looking for solutions.
PHOTO GALLERY| GLENN STREET BRIDGE DAMAGE
11Alive's Julie Wolfe visited with a group of Mechanicsville residents at the heart of the movement to pain a better picture of the community's problems:
Doristine Samuel
Doristine is in her 60s and wears silver hoop earrings that reach her shoulders. If Mechanicsville has a mascot, it might be her. When she introduces herself she launches into her local affiliation like it's her last name. "I'm Dorestine Samuel, I've lived in Mechanicsville since 1957. I've noticed lately that my neighborhood has become a dump, and it's time for change."
She insists that change must start with the Glenn Street Bridge. "It's been crumbling for some time," then she shares a gap-toothed smile. "It's probably as old as I am, and I'm 67."
Gloria Jean Royster
Gloria is quiet and polite and tenacious. Behind the glasses and matching blue-beaded earring and necklace set, she comes with a set of intricate notes. It details the list of broken promises made to Mechanicsville residents in the Glenn Street area.
The street leading to the Glenn Street Bridge has become a corridor of crime, garbage, and rodents. Gloria's most horrified story comes from a recent flooding incident under the bridge.
"Last time it rained, we had one neighbor who was walking through here [under the bridge], and she stopped and became paralyzed because she felt rats crawling around her legs in the puddle," she said.
Anthony Van Miller
Anthony is the newest member to join the Glenn Street Bridge Project. While we're talking he points to a pedestrian walking behind him. "Did you see that person that just walked under the bridge? He didn't walk on the sidewalk, he walked into the street. Now, he's back on the sidewalk. Because people don't trust it."
Residents report crumbling concrete has hit passing cars and pedestrians. "I just drive fast when I pass under it," he said.
The Glenn Street Bridge Project
The Glenn Street Bridge Project includes a long list of safety and health concerns residents say are standing in the way of revitalization.
Residents keep pointing back to the Glenn Street Bridge as the center of their problems. "It's all connected," Royster said. 11Alive's Commuter Dude is tackling their biggest concern.
On his visit to the site, he captured pictures of cracks in the facade, exposed rebar and chunks of fallen concrete.
Mechanicsville residents and City officials fear the disrepair could cause serious harm. Atlanta City Council woman, Cleta Winslow said, "It could be something that's dangerous if debris is falling. Somebody, it falls on their car. They could get in an accident. They could get killed."
But is this decay indicative of its structural integrity and a sign of potential collapse? Officials at the Department of Public Works say no. They say the broken concrete is caused by high profile trucks striking the low ceiling and the bridge foundation is fine. They've installed several warning signs to help alleviate this problem, but actual repairs, they say, are up to the bridge's owner, Norfolk Southern.
"Last year, the leadership reached out to Norfolk Southern to try to get them to do something about the bridge then," Winslow said. "What was their response at that time?" Commuter Dude asked. "Didn't really get anything back besides 'we'll look in to it'."
When 11Alive contacted officials at Norfolk Southern on February 7th, 2012 for comment, they responded "We are working on addressing their concerns on several different fronts." They promised to get back the next day with specifics. Check back with 11Alive.com for new details. We'll post them here when we get an update.
Crime, Garbage, Critters
While the bridge is the main focus of their concerns, Mechanicsville neighbors say dark streets allow the opportunity for crime. In 2010, lights were installed under the bridge. Today, of the twenty-eight lights, only eight are working.
The empty lots along Glenn Street collect garbage. One day after visiting residents, work detail from the Atlanta jail were on site picking up garbage. An officer in charge of the prisoners said the area had been on their to-do list. Winslow confirmed the prisoners are now working projects six days a week most weeks, and will be in the neighborhoods more often. It could help with Mechanicsville's trash problem. But the request for work is a long list, and neighborhood leaders are taking a wait-and-see attitude.
The garbage and vacant lots have started to attract an unwanted population of wild animals. Residents report seeing a litter of baby fox, raccoons, snakes, rats, and as one woman put it "roaches so big they carry suitcases."
The dark bridge also attracts a homeless population that frequently uses it as overnight shelter.
We took the concerns of her constituents to Winslow. She promised to look into solutions. The group is planning a press conference at the bridge Friday, February 10th, 2012 in hopes of adding pressure to community leaders and railroad officials to make something happen. 11Alive's Julie Wolfe and John Gerard will continue to follow the group's progress as they search for answers.