Penfort Street, Northview Heights (Milroy: crime, houses, neighborhoods)

[MeinGlanzendMotorrad]

I'm playing around on Google maps trying to find quicker ways around, and have come across this:

5. Turn left toward Penfort StRestricted usage road





344 ft


6. Continue straight onto Penfort StRestricted usage road

Using the Street View it seems to be a private gated community type area.

Does anyone know if they allow access through or if it's a completely resident-only type road?

I'm betting it's the latter, but I figured I should find out.

[greg42]

I drove through it before, once, kinda by accident and by no other choice, but that was at least 11 years ago (previous car I remember) so not sure if anything would have changed by now. It's a way that gets you up to the Swindell Bridge, which might be what I was going for, while neglecting to notice that I was going through Northview Heights, LOL (until I actually got there, that is). I had gotten off 279 at Hazlett, I think, and went straight up.

Nothing unusual happened to me despite driving a bright red car through Northview Heights. It was afternoon, warm and sunny, and kids were out playing.

I think the only real way to see if you can go through there is to try it.

EDIT: Wow, looking at the street view now, it appears there was a barrier across Hazlett when they took the street view pics. Heh. I know this wasn't the case back when I went through. And at the top, at Essen Street, there is clearly a gatehouse, and another gatehouse on Mt Pleasant Rd. So it sounds like they have completely restricted the car access to Northview Heights since I was there. None of that was there a decade ago, or 11-12 years ago or whenever it was I drove through. So I'm guessing you can't go through at all anymore. This would be a security thing, trying to cut down on crime at Northview Heights I guess.

[MeinGlanzendMotorrad]

That's about what I figured.

I get off 279 at Hazlett and take a left, go up Milroy to Perrysville and hang a left to get home, but over at the other end of Penfort seems to be the nearest post office drop box (Though there's one by Riverview Park too, which is just as close) if it's not blocked off.

Ah well.

As a side question, do postal carriers do letter collection here in the city or do I HAVE to use a collection box? My Google-fu is weak today.

[greg42]

Good question. I wanted to say yes they do, but the reality is I don't really know for 100% certain. Out in the sticks where I live with a rural box, they collect mail, but then they're driving through in one of those little trucks. If they're on a walking route where you are, they may not collect mail. If they're in a truck, they probably do.

[Tinare]

Originally Posted by MeinGlanzendMotorrad

As a side question, do postal carriers do letter collection here in the city or do I HAVE to use a collection box? My Google-fu is weak today.

Mine does. I never put much out. Since I pay most of my bills through bill pay, I really don't mail much anymore. I may put out a Netflix return or one piece of mail at time, but it gets picked up. I'm in Brookline btw.

[vtPGH]

Originally Posted by MeinGlanzendMotorrad

Does anyone know if they allow access through or if it's a completely resident-only type road?

I'm betting it's the latter, but I figured I should find out.

I go up to Northview regularly with my work, and yes, it is now completely gated. At the gatehouses you need to show ID and the name and address for who you are visiting in order to drive in. Otherwise the gate attendants will not let you in.

[Herodotus]

The streets in Northview were reconfigured over a decade ago. Hazlett is blocked off, as is Mt Pleasant at it's far end. Thugs from other North Side neighborhoods were driving through NVH shooting at people. This has put an end to that.