Community urges clean up of East Columbus bus stop
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- People who live in the Driving Park section of Columbus are asking the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) to step up and help put a stop to what they said are illegal activities taking place at a bus stop.
Residents near the stop between Livingston Avenue and Berkeley Road said it has become a haven for substance abuse and it makes people feel unsafe in the community.
Community leaders also said more work needs to be done to provide a clean and safe environment at the bus stop.
Watch: Community urges clean up of East Columbus bus stop
Last month, the Livingston Area Merchant's Association wrote a letter to COTA advocating for the stop to become a no-trespass zone.
Group member Michael Aaron alleges people have been seen smoking crack cocaine and drinking in public at the stop.
“It has attracted every transient and person who has problems with maybe alcohol and drugs because many in the community have witnessed them using drugs and alcohol at that bus shelter,” Aaron said. “There's urine stains in the bus shelter and there's always trash at the bus shelter.”
Dr. Clayton Hicks, a local business owner who has been in the neighborhood for more than 50 years, said that in all his time working in the neighborhood, he had never seen that type of activity until this last year, but he does not know how to address the issue.
“What can you do?" he said. "Complain to the COTA, but the cops don't bother them. So, if the cops don't bother them, then what can you do?”
In a statement to NBC4 regarding the allegations of what takes place at that bus shelter and if there is a solution, COTA said, “While COTA owns the transit shelter, COTA does not own the sidewalk where it is located. We have been working with the community on this matter and have made every effort within our authority to address the issue. That includes signing a trespass agent authorization agreement with the Columbus Division of Police covering all physical transit shelters since March 2023. Our strategic response specialist team and special duty police officers will continue to provide regular physical presence at this location and others, but COTA does not have the authority to issue citations related to trespassing or criminal activity.”
Members of the community are still hopeful that something more can be done to make everyone feel safe.
“We need a clean COTA and a safe COTA and a clean environment," Aaron said. “We need it safe for our children, safe for the seniors and every rider of our public transportation.”