BETHLEHEM, Pa. – More than 80 residents have signed a petition urging the Bethlehem Housing Authority to work with city officials to improve safety and security along the South Bethlehem Greenway near the Litzenberger House.
Krisann Drust-Lustig presented the petition to the Housing Authority, saying it contains 85 signatures from residents in and around the 200 block of the Greenway. The petition asks the authority to serve as a liaison with city officials to address ongoing public safety concerns in the area.
While brighter lighting and additional security cameras have already been installed, residents are seeking further action to address homelessness, improve safety and preserve the Greenway as a family-friendly public space, she said.
“The Greenway should be a place of peace and relaxation for the community — a place where families can walk, jog and enjoy the natural beauty of our city without fear,” Drust-Lustig said. “Sadly, recent events have shown that the Greenway has become a place of danger and concern.”
Drust-Lustig said that residents are increasingly concerned about their safety while using the trail and said the current conditions are “not the environment our community deserves.”
The petition follows a stabbing last month behind the 200 block of East Fourth Street near the South Bethlehem Greenway. Bethlehem police said officers responded to reports of a stabbing and found a 33-year-old man suffering from two stab wounds to the back. He was taken to a local hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.
Drust-Lustig asked Housing Authority officials to forward the petition to the appropriate city officials for consideration.