Gunny wrote; "Why not plant "Elm Trees" HaHa! I think Elm street had Elm trees when I was a kid, then the Elm blight came and killed them. Oh! I get it, the dead tree trunks represent the dead Elm trees! Those PennDot guys are pretty smart afterall...

Rail Crossings: Foreman, Mill St., Bolivar Dr.
You gotta be kidding. I have lived here over 12 years and I don't think any of these have been touched. Maybe a little fill at Mill St, but that's it.
I like when I'm going over the Bolivar Dr. crossing at one MPH and someone going the other direction gives me a snide look as they pound over at 40 MPH...mud, rust, and hubcaps go flying and they wonder why their car needs new everything every year at inspection.
You know you can blame it on the weather, lack of money....etc.
But, do a comparison: Go to Warren. Nice little town. Not much blight. Roads are decent. They made good use of their waterway with a park and boat ramp etc. Are they rich? Got anything different than us?
You can't blame welfare or scumbags for our town being in this state of disrepair.
Maybe someone should go to Warren and flat ask them how they did it.

Great post Oldnbored! IMO this town fell into disrepair under Michelle and George Corignani's regime. Our current administration is entering its 4th year, its time we saw some results in this direction.

I thought of the exact same thing last summer when driving thru Warren! AND...they have a huge July 4th parade every year....something to check out!

So can we assume that because Warren has less blight, they also have less crime? (we know they have 5 less police officers) Could it be as simple as the "Broken window" syndrome? (Neglect it and they will come?) Is it possible Warren is tougher on slumlords and private owner slobs, and that they are more aggressive at enforcing their ordinances? Maybe their J.P. is tougher. I do know that they did remove their CE from their fire department a couple years ago... Could that be the difference? They also have a welfare office in town, and a nearly identical population, so thats not it. I would have to conclude that they must collectively have more civic pride, and less apathy than we do in Bradford, and that the appearance and quality of their town is more of a priority? Was their head CE guy married to their mayor with no supervision for 12 or 15 years? If anyone knows, please enlighten us!

Broken window syndrome.. http://voices.yahoo.com/reversing-broke ... 52049.html Reversing the Broken Window Syndrome: Saving Your Neighborhood Through Activism
C. Jeanne Heida, Yahoo! Contributor Network
May 22, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."More:ActivismPolice Departmenttweet0PrintFlagClosePost a comment
I live in a neighborhood that once had a rather high percentage of slum properties. You all know the types. These are the places where weeds are three feet tall, the cars are parked up on the yard, and half a year's worth of litter has piled up around the front door. The property owner doesn't care if his investment looks like a dump, and is unmotivated to clean things up, as long as he continues to draw the rent checks.
Trashy homes often have a negative impact on adjacent residences, which can lead to urban flight. And, once the homeowners and conscientious renters have left, the neighborhood becomes a less desirable place to live. Without anyone left to "mind the store", the instances of trashy behavior increases. A neighborhood that sends a strong message of apathy, is more prone to vandalism, litter, graffiti, and loitering. Emboldened by the lack of neighborhood concern, meth labs, prostitution houses, and party pads for drug use and under aged alcohol consumption soon follow.

The Broken Window syndrome

Neighborhood police officers used to refer to this as the Broken Window syndrome, based on a theory by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, who wrote "Broken Windows: The Police and Neighborhood Safety" in the March 1982 issue of Atlantic Monthly. The Broken Window theory explained that signs of decay, such as abandoned vehicles, litter, broken windows and graffiti led to rapid neighborhood deterioration, resulting in increased crime (source: http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/prevention). While the broken window theory has come under attack by critics, in our neighborhood, the trickling down effect of the "broken window" was very visible.
On those blocks where properties had been turned into slums, we saw the highest instances of drug use, teenage alcohol use, and other crimes including burglary and rape. Adjacent neighbors who were worried about their safety sold their homes. These places were quickly picked up by slumlords who rented to other miscreants. What were once viable family homes became flop houses, and the crime statistics for our neighborhood climbed rapidly. All of these things are happening in Bradford RIGHT NOW AS WE READ THIS! this describes my neighborhood to a tee! Lets wake up before its too late people!

Part two of the article; Operation: Save the Neighborhood

There were a handful of neighbors who were committed to the neighborhood. They had lived in the area their entire lives and weren't willing to let the neighborhood go to ruin without a fight. The neighbors organized themselves into a loosely formed association, and "Operation: Save the Neighborhood" was born.

The first step was cleaning up the neighborhood. Neighbors painted over graffiti, planted trees, wrote grants to replace broken sidewalks and missing street lights, and reclaimed neglected right of way areas. In the process of "Operation: Save the Neighborhood," neighbors also learned about a city department called "Code Enforcement."

Department of City Code Enforcement

Every city has a Planning and Zoning department, sometimes referred to as Planning and Development Services. This agency basically oversees the growth of a city through zoning and by interpreting existing building codes. Most building codes have sections dealing with what is allowed and what's not. Even though our neighbors were a pretty sharp group of people, we had no idea that there existed laws preventing the very type of behavior that contributed to the decay of the neighborhood.

Some of the things that were not allowed under our city's existing city ordinance included:

Living in an RV in a residential zone
Selling used cars out of your property
Allowing trash and litter to accumulate on the property
Allowing weeds to grow out of control
Having more than 3 dogs or 5 cats
Junked cars or cars up on blocks
Parking in the front yard or up on sidewalks
Leaving upholstered furniture out in the yard
Burning trash or having bonfires
Parking semi trucks on residential streets
Running an automotive shop out of your garage
Converting your house or garage into an apartment without permits
Building storage sheds in the setbacks
Running a business from a home
Having frequent, nighttime parties

Neighbors began reporting properties that were in violation of City Code, and enforcement officers were sent to the offending residences. Slowly we watched junked cars get hauled off, weeds mowed down, and accumulated garbage hauled to the dump. Illegal duplex conversions and large scale home businesses were reversed, and illegally constructed utility buildings were torn down or removed.

The Neighborhood Contact Officer program

In addition to cleaning up the neighborhood, concerned neighbors formed a partnership with the local police department. The City Police had recently introduced a community policing program with Neighborhood Contact officers being assigned to certain parts of town. The neighbors met the area NCO at a neighborhood barbecue, and working together, identified problem areas. The police began patrolling the neighborhood on a regular basis, and neighbors were quick to report suspicious behavior such as drug houses and meth labs. Party homes were also identified.

It took several years of vigilance on behalf of the neighbors and police department, but since that time, the area has turned from a slum to a desirable inter city neighborhood. Property values have sky rocketed, crime has dropped, and home ownership is on the rise. There are still a few slumlords lurking on the fringes on the neighborhood, but things are a far cry from where they were ten years ago.

The neighborhood continues to monitor area activity, but has also taken a proactive stance by organizing neighborhood cleanup days and planting trees, pocket parks, and street gardens as part of a beautification effort. The association distributes newsletters, has regular neighborhood meetings, and attends City Council and Planning & Zoning hearings at City Hall.

How do you reclaim your neighborhood?

The first step is gathering up a group of concerned neighbors and start cleaning things up. Organize your own cleanup day!

The second step should be a trip to City Hall. Learn about your city's code enforcement department, and purchase a manual of city ordinances. Some cities even offer these service free of charge on the web. Once you have an idea of what is allowed and not, you can file Code Complaints on the slumlords who are junking up your neighborhood.

The third step, is to contact your local Police Department and ask if they have a community policing program. Get to know the officer assigned to your area. You might also purchase the printed police code. This manual contains even more city ordinances which deal with behavior issues, such as disorderly conduct, amplified music, and disturbing the peace.

The final step is to stay informed by joining your neighborhood association. A neighborhood association differs from a homeowners association, and usually encompasses a collection of neighborhoods or a certain district of town. It is the neighborhood association that receives all notice of proposed development in your area. In areas of perceived blight, sometimes developers will apply for a rezone to build a structure that is not compatible with your neighborhood. It may be a commercial building that could create more traffic, or a convenience station or fast food restaurant that is open 24 hours a day. High intensity uses such as these, can further contribute to the decay of intercity neighborhoods.

Once our neighborhood became actively involved in the planning and zoning process, we discovered that these redevelopment decisions are often made without any neighborhood input. As one of our local Councilmen once told me, "How are we to know what the neighborhood thinks of these projects, when no one bothers to write us a letter or show up for the hearing?"

Neighborhood preservation begins with active involvement, staying informed, and becoming acquainted with your neighbors. For more information about reclaiming your neighborhood, contact the planning and code enforcement divisions of your city's Planning and Zoning department and your local police department.

I must have really gotten angry during the time I was reading your last post, I saw RED!

(Good post!)

Thanks Guitar.

I especially enjoy when exiting the elm street ramp, the thick wooden railed fence to your left, that you have to pull out in on-coming traffic to see around. Did the same people think of this traffic hazard that designed the "brick loop out in the road"beside the Corner Bar on East Washington? I wonder how much money they'll spend to tear the whole thing down on Elm street? I got an idea! Let's plant a huge Weeping" willow in the middle of the intersection of Main and Davis, not only will it create an enormous blind spot, but the roots will destroy all the plumbing under the road.

ChipperB wrote; "Did the same people think of this traffic hazard that designed the "brick loop out in the road"beside the Corner Bar on East Washington?" Actually there is a good chance it was the same people. The city pointed the finger at Penndot as the responsible party behind the "bump-out" on East Washington.

And since apparently noting is being done in this city to curtail the illegal dirt bikes, three, and four-wheelers buzzing all around town, and considering this is a "main artery" for them, there will likely be car and illegal, unlicensed, unregistered, uninsured vehicle accidents at this location, now that the visibility at this major intersection has been "altered for the worse".

Actually the only thing that could make it worse than it is now is if a pirate ship ties up to the "dock timbers" under the bridge.

Do you think anybody in that neighborhood would notice if it were invaded by pirates? You know ..... people walking around with baggy, dirty, ill fitting clothes, missing teeth, tattoo covered, long dirty hair tied up in a bandanna and swearing constantly?

Apparently they have been here for a while now! LOL!