BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A deadline for unhoused individuals to leave Norfolk Southern land along the Lehigh River is quickly approaching.
In less than two weeks, on Dec. 15, the railroad’s police, along with members of Bethlehem’s police department, will clear the encampment. Norfolk Southern said the site is too close to an active track and poses health and safety risks, including open fires and improper waste disposal. A company spokesperson said its priority is safety.
Bethlehem Police Department Deputy Chief Scott Meixell told Bethlehem City Council Tuesday that officers will be on hand to “de-escalate any situations that may arise.” He noted that not all the land occupied by unhoused individuals is owned by the railroad; the city owns some parcels as well.
Meixell said the department has taken “numerous, numerous” trips to the area, as officers have worked to build relationships with encampment residents.
“We spent a lot of time really building relationships with them so they understand the gravity of what’s coming. It is an eviction, so to speak, from that location,” Meixell said. “Hopefully, everyone leaves willingly.”
He also said help will be provided to unhoused individuals to find locations where they can go to begin to move forward.
Members of the city’s Community Connections Program, a collaboration between the Bethlehem Health Bureau and police department to connect people in need with social services, will also be available.
Meixell said he was unsure about the current number of residents at the encampment, only that the population was likely down due to the recent drastic cold weather. In October, Mayor J. William Reynolds said health bureau data showed 53 individuals were living at the site.