Sharon weighs removal of Malleable Heights barriers

The barricades were put in place to thwart drug traffickers.
SHARON, Pa. -- The concrete barricades that block through-traffic on Spearman Avenue and Quinby Street around the Malleable Heights public housing complex may soon be removed.
The Mercer County Housing Authority owns the 100-unit apartment complex, and L. DeWitt Boosel, authority executive director, said Wednesday that the highway-style barricades will likely be replaced with raised sidewalks and some landscaping across the two streets.
Through-traffic will still be prevented, but the big concrete barricades will be gone, he said.
Targeting drug dealers
City authorities, with the authority's blessing, had the barricades placed at strategic points around the complex about six years ago in an effort to control traffic flow in and out of the area and specifically targeting drug dealers.
Limiting where drug traffickers could flee helped control that illegal activity in the area, police said.
The area has been cleaned up, the apartment units renovated and a community building and a site manager have been added at the complex.
The time has come to look at removing the barricades, Boosel said, adding that the authority is looking for a more "friendly" way of controlling traffic.
That might include raised sidewalks and landscaping, he said, adding that the authority will have to act with the consensus of the city that owns the streets.
Police Chief Thomas Burke had some initial concerns about the removal but said his questions were answered when Boosel explained the sidewalk-landscaping concept.