Can’t believe we’re writing about this again, but: How many
bureaucrats does it take to clean the northbound SunRail platform at Lynx
Central Station?
The answer: Too many.
During the past several months we’ve written about the horrific
trash and sanitation problem at that station numerous times.
Most mornings riders getting off at that station must walk
through a smelly trash pile on their way to work at the Orange County
Courthouse and other destinations. (The accompanying photo was sent to us by a rider.)
In addition to sheer neglect, the problem is compounded
because there is a major problem with homelessness in downtown. Many homeless
people camp out at the station overnight and on the weekends.
Addressing homelessness is a complex social issue that
we’re not going to be able to solve in this article but cleaning up the trash
should be easy.
A couple of months ago a woman and her boyfriend
voluntarily picked up all the trash one day. That was awfully nice of them to
voluntarily do that, but it’s not their responsibility.
The responsibility belongs to SunRail and the City of
Orlando. That’s why people pay train fares and taxes – to take care of public
spaces.
We keep asking Orlando City Hall and SunRail about the problem, and we keep getting the runaround.
Last week we reached out to City Hall. Here is the answer
we received from Mayor Buddy Dyer’s spokeswoman:
"As previously discussed, the city is aware of the
issue however, the area to the east of the station is owned and maintained by
the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
"Both parties have agreed that the investment in a
more permanent solution would be justified as a result of the ongoing
maintenance required and both agencies are exploring options to address the
issue."
What does that mean?
Beats us…
