Posted on: Monday, January 10, 2005
Life gets a little brighter in Salt Lake
| • | Map: Bus stop safety |
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
Janice Dinken, the general manager of the 310-unit Sunset Lakeview apartments in Salt Lake, saw what for her was a beautiful sight this week — elderly residents sitting at the bus stop at night in front of her building.
The bus stop has been a focus of crime in the neighborhood for more than a year, with youth gangs hanging out there, starting fights, dealing drugs and intimidating riders. A new light installed last week seems to have prompted them to move elsewhere, Dinken said.
"We came back from dinner and there was a man on the bench," Dinken said. "He was about 60, talking on his cell phone, laughing away, and there was an older woman sitting beside him on the bench waiting for the bus. I haven't seen anyone on that bench at night other than the kids for a year. I was just totally floored."
And there's more good news: Police presence has been increased, and residents plan to start a neighborhood security patrol to help combat crime in the neighborhood.
In August, two men were stabbed at the bus stop and hospitalized in serious condition. No one has been arrested in that case, police said.
Since then, Dinken had been waiting for the city to install a promised light at the bus stop. Bus stops are not usually lighted and do not have electrical outlets.
Police Capt. Raymond Ancheta said patrols on Ala 'Ilima Street were increased in response to residents' concerns and that the lighted stop should make it safer for people using the bus stop, but he noted the problem will be moved, not solved.
"Historically, this would tend to move it to another area that is dark," Ancheta said. "We are dealing with kids, and they have to go somewhere."
Just down the street, Richard Larson is the resident manager of the 352-unit Century West apartments at 3161 Ala 'Ilima Street. Larson said youth gang activity at night has taken over the uncovered bus stop in front of his building, and he wants the city to remove the bench and the stop altogether.
He said his elderly residents are afraid to use that bus stop at night and walk to the now-lighted bus stop anyway.
Larson also plans to start a neighborhood security patrol with the help of police to continue the effort to push criminals from the neighborhood.
"In my experience, if you make yourself visible to these people that are causing problems, they don't tend to stay in the area and will move away," Larson said. "They are not intimidated by one or two (security) guards but certainly would be if there are a bunch of people watching what they are doing, especially if we have a police officer with us."
Ala 'Ilima Street, lined with high-rise apartment buildings, is the most densely populated area in the state with more than 79,000 people per square mile. Many are elderly residents on fixed incomes and others are single parents who depend on the bus for transportation.
The city agreed to install a solar-powered light nearly five months ago, but the project was delayed first when one light did not have the needed brightness and another was back-ordered.
A light with enough strength to illuminate the entire area finally arrived and was installed Jan. 4.
Dinken said the bus stop light would not have happened without the support of police and Clyde Earl, chief of the Transportation Department's Public Transit Division, who continues to monitor the situation.
"It has improved unbelievably," she said. "The kids are not hanging out there. The older people are sitting at the bench. It has just been amazing."
Reach James Gonser at 535-2431 or jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com.
