Street Level: Bustleton, overwhelmed by trash, weeds, asks next mayor for help

About the project:

We all love living in Philadelphia. However, there are so many little things – crosswalks blocked by cars, garbage that doesn't get picked up on schedule, parks that resemble Amazonian jungles – that add up and grind us residents to the ground. It's great the mayoral candidates are talking about big issues, but realistically, shouldn't we expect the mayor to tackle the little problems too, if not more so?

So, we've reached out to civic associations (known as RCOs, or registered community organizations, in city government-ese) and commercial development corporations to find out about the little things that seemingly never get solved, and we'll be talking to RCO and CDC leaders while voters wrestle with who ultimately should be elected the next mayor in November. If your RCO or CDC would like to participate in the project, email jcaruso@philly.com or call (215)854-2260. Below is the ninth in our series:

Civic league: The Greater Bustleton Civic League is a community volunteer-based group that preserves the beauty of Northeast Philadelphia's Bustleton neighborhood through trash cleanups, weed removal, and neighborhood beautification.

Leader: Jack O'Hara, President of the Greater Bustleton Civic League

At issue: Unsightly litter and overgrown weeds that force pedestrians into the street for certain stretches of sidewalk. The Greater Bustleton Civic League subscribes to the broken windows theory when maintaining their neighborhood, but some projects are simply too large for volunteers. Weeds snarl up from sidewalks and train trestle areas (particularly the trestle located at Welsh Road and Grant Avenue), forcing passersby to walk in heavily trafficked streets. O'Hara would like City Hall's help in making Bustleton safe for residents and welcoming to visitors.