MTA bus riders cite safety concerns about snow-covered bus stops
Some MTA riders in Westchester Square told News 12 that their bus stops were not cleaned out, as giant mounds of snow and ice sat on the curb.
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The snow and ice were still making it difficult for Bronx residents to get around the borough on Wednesday.
Some MTA riders in Westchester Square told News 12 that their bus stops were not cleaned out, as giant mounds of snow and ice sat on the curb.
“I can’t be jumping over that, can’t risk breaking something,” said Angel Acevedo, an 80-year-old bus rider.
A News 12 crew found several bus stops still covered near East Tremont and Lane avenues.
“All the stops that I've been to have been the same,” said Acevedo. “They’re all clogged; nobody cleaned them out.”
Rolando Pena, another rider, agreed that the snow should have been removed, but he gave the city some grace.
“It was a big storm, though, and it’s only the third day after the storm,” said Pena.
Julia Kerson, deputy mayor for operations, said this week that the Department of Transportation [DOT] is tasked with clearing bus stops.
A DOT spokesperson told News 12 that property owners are responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks, including those with bus stops, which are 11,000 bus stops.
The DOT spokesperson added that contractor JCDecaux is tasked with cleaning the city’s 3,400 bus shelters, and as of Wednesday morning, 95% of those bus shelters were complete.
“I have seen [the bus stops] worse,” said Pena. “Anyway, we’re doing the best we can. We help each other here.”
“This is not right,” said Acevedo.
The DOT encourages New Yorkers to report blocked bus stops to 311.
