Yash Roy Photos
Alston, Mata and Bombero during Hill problem-solving canvass
Here’s what the latest city “Clean and Safe Sweep” encountered on Arthur, Hurlburt and Wilson Street in the Hill: Tangled utility wires, raised sidewalks, illegal driveways, trees blocking traffic signs, sagging roofs, and potholes the size of small children.
Now the challenge is to fix the problems, which city Deputy Chief Administrator Rebecca Bombero noted on her clipboard as she and officials from several government departments walked the area and spoke with neighbors.
The sweep, which took place Friday, was the third so far this summer, part of an effort by the city to identify quality-of-life nuisances and problems and then remedy them.
Canvassers included Bombero, Mayor Justin Elicker, Fire Chief John Alston Jr., Assistant Police Chief David Zannelli, transportation chief Sandeep Aysola, and department staffers.
Groups of three or four city officials split up different parts of the Hill based upon heat maps that track crime and community complaints.
“Canvasses like this are a powerful way for us to both go into the community and identify issues but also work better together to serve all of you and solve issues before they become out of control,” said Elicker.
On Arthur and Wilson, Bombero noted raised sidewalks that aren’t compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), dangling utility wires, and pits where trees had been torn out, leaving tripping hazards.
“We refer these problems over to utilities, DPW [Department of Public Works], or the relevant department so they can get inspectors or crews out here to deal with the issue,” she said.
The above-pictured utility pole, on the corner of Rosette and Morris, stood out to Bombero: “it’s a frigging mess.”
Transportation and Parking Deputy Operations Director Bijan Notghi and Hector Mata, community resilience harm reduction manager, participated in the sweep as well.
Notghi identified numerous instances of sidewalk parking as well as illegal driveways. Neighbor Martha Dye told Bombero and Notghi that sidewalk parking is becoming a major problem on Arthur Street. She has been telling neighbors to put pots out to prevent people from parking on the sidewalks.
Bombero and Notghi committed to sending out more parking patrols to her street to prevent people from parking on the sidewalk.
Another resident, Natividad Rivera (pictured), told Bombero (with Mata translating from Spanish into English) that drivers have been racing down her street. Bombero told her that she would try to have a speed bump placed at the intersection of Lamberton and Hurlburt.
Brian Taylor told Bombero he would like to see more trees on his street. Bombero told him about a URI project that plants trees — with promises of neighbors to water the trees once they’re planted. Taylor agreed to do that.
The officials also identified abandoned houses on Wilson Street to refer to the Livable City Initiative (LCI) to address dumping and overgrowth.
“I walked this zone a few years ago, and it was a lot worse. I was writing down so many different things every few feet. So I’m happy that so much progress has been made,” said Bombero.
Taylor commits to water new trees on his street.