Bike/Ped bridges as criminal escape routes

Two bridges in the Greenbelt area have become the focus of those concerned with crime. Some are concerned that the bridges will become escape routes for those committing crimes. This is a new one for me. The Forrest Glen Pedestrian bridge - due to some design flaws - did have a crime issue (and possibly still does) but the idea of not wanting a bridge so as to limit the movement of criminals seems to be cutting off your nose to spite your face. The first bridge is the Spellman Overpass. I've ridden over this pedestrian bridge several times - it's very nice. The city council decided to add call boxes and surveillance cameras to thwart crime. That's a good idea, but some people wanted to put a gate on it and close it at night.

Gina Wesley-Hunt, 34, said although a gate on the bridge may send the wrong message, it is still a better step to stopping crime than a surveillance camera or improved lighting.

‘‘My concern is not really that an assault is happening on the overpass but the bridge is being used as an escape route for criminals,” Wesley-Hunt said. ‘‘I know [the council] would never do this, but my dream is to have radio-activated gates on both sides of the bridge, and when a crime is occurring and someone runs through the first gate, the second one automatically closes, like a big rat trap.”

Luckily cooler heads prevailed,

‘‘One of the suggestions that we came up with was possibly redesigning the path on the Gardenway side to make it straighter to increase visibility in the area. Right now it’s winding and you can’t see the path,” Community Relations Advisory Board Chairman Kevin Hammett said. ‘‘During the forums, we realized that there is quite a bit of usage of the bridge during late-night hours for people that work at NASA or at Safeway. We felt that having the bridge closed on either side would send the wrong message. And any way that minimizes interaction between both great parts of our city philosophically didn’t seem right.”

The second bridge is a $500,000 proposed bridge from Greenbelt to North College Park. It would connect the new Greenbelt Metro development to North College Park by crossing the CSX railroad tracks near Huron Street.

The proposed bridge would allow residents living in North College Park to walk from their homes to the new development, said City Councilman John Krouse (Dist. 1).

the Greenbelt Station bridge, which would be built near Huron Street and the railroad tracks, about halfway between the Metro station and Greenbelt Road.

They did a survey to measure interest and results were mixed.

While 186 residents voted to support the bridge, 160 opposed it and didn’t want to see it built. Another 53 residents said they somewhat supported the idea of a bridge, but still had some questions or concerns about some of the details. Another 62 residents said they somewhat oppose the bridge ‘‘but could accept it if certain security features or aesthetic treatments are added.”

Again crime (and aesthetics) was sited as a concern.

‘‘We don’t like this because it’s in the middle of the community and people are going to have to look at it every day,” she said. ‘‘We’ll have teenagers on the bridge and more chance of crime. We need to take care of the crime we already have.”

The mayor disagrees

Greenbelt Mayor Judith Davis said she supports the bridge, but said the City Council hasn’t formally taken a position on it.

‘‘In accepting the design plan, which includes the overpass, the city basically felt some kind of pedestrian or bicycle connection was important,” she said.

Comments

[Contrarian]

Of course roads are never used as criminal escape routes...

[Jack]

If you provide good transportation routes, you never know who might use them.

[Purple Eagle]

The Spellmen Overpass issue was extensively discussed in a community listserve in Greenbelt. Discussions were preciptated by an unprovoked attack on a community leader; the suspects reportedly fled over the bridge.

I, too, find it odd that people think closing a bridge would help prevent crime. To be consistent, they should advocate closing roads as well.

An earlier report in the Gazette regarding the North College Park bridge reported a citizen opposed to the bridge suggesting that people in the neighborhood don't need it - they can always drive to the new development to shop. Somebody needs to get a clue!

[Taleswapper]

What's particularly troublesome about the report of the attackers' escape in that case is that the actual report was that they fled in the _direction_ of the bridge. The attackers had any number of choices for escape in other directions well before the bridge and if the bridge had not been available could have spent a lot of time in the extensive woods along the parkway.

The whole Spellman Overpass closure discussion really gets people heated on both sides. I know it drives me nuts!

[Paul]

The Forest Glen path is/was not an "escape route," but rather, a target-rich environment for thugs. Any dark walkway where pedestrians can't easily run away or call for help is primed for muggings. I sensed the design flaws the first day it opened, and thus, wasnt surprised at last year's crime spree.

Urban planners and architects need to focus on the realities of urban living if they want more people to ride and walk. Street crime can happen anywhere at any time, but thoughtful design can reduce risk and mitigate consequences.

Users bear some responsibility as well. I walk or ride the path almost every evening, and am shocked at how many pedestrians zone out in their little iWorlds. Might as well wear a sign reading, "Rob me-- I'm clueless".

[M]

The Greenbelt overpass has been an issue since it was built (in the 80s). It saved a lot of gas, as it allowed many kids in old Greenbelt to walk or ride bikes to Roosevelt High School instead of drive. It turned a 20 minute one way car ride into a 10 minute walk for many people. At the same time, crime has always been present, from muggings / jumpings (beating up, no theft) to kids using it to escape from criminal activity. (There were a lot of kids that used it to escape from prankish delinquent behavior.) I am for overpasses like this, but crime is certainly an issue.