"Greg Downing, SCTA executive director, said the shelter was removed at the borough’s suggestion. He said a cleaning service stopped by the shelter once a week, but the conditions would become so bad in the interim that people wouldn’t wait inside of the shelter unless it was raining."
"I don't care how it was removed, I do care that it was removed," Lutz stated during the meeting. He emphasized that the shelter's design, which included a back wall where people could hide from view, contributed to ongoing maintenance challenges.
Lutz explained that the shelter was originally installed through a federal grant in conjunction with Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) and an advertising company. Initially, the advertising company was responsible for maintaining the structure, but those duties eventually fell to SCTA, with borough employees often assisting with cleaning.
"We can't ask our employees to clean up those kind of messes," Lutz said, referring to the unsanitary conditions found at the site. Since the removal, though, Lutz said,"I have not heard any comments from those that ride the bus. I think they're glad that there's a sanitary place there now for them, and a clean place for them. It had to go."
Borough Council President Heather Zink said of the removal, "Council had no knowledge that it was happening before it happened," but expressed support for the decision.
Currently, the bus stop remains active with two benches available for waiting passengers. Mayor Lutz mentioned that during inclement weather, people are welcome to take shelter in the lobby of the borough office when it's open. The borough also maintains a public restroom at borough hall for bus passengers, according to Lutz.
No definite plans for a replacement shelter have been announced, though officials have indicated openness to future options, including relocating it.