Residents in the Florence-Graham neighborhood of South Los Angeles are raising concerns about the presence of used syringe needles and trash near a Los Angeles Metro light rail station. Roberto Sanchez, who commutes to work using the Blue Line station, mentioned that he has seen needles on the ground before but last Friday was the first time he stepped on one of them. The puncture through his shoe hit his skin, causing him to go to the emergency room for a tetanus shot and blood work.
Mary Hellen, a resident near the Florence-Graham station, shared that she and her friend have been picking up abandoned needles and properly disposing of them in the trash. Hellen mentioned that cleaning the streets where they live is a challenging task. Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell emphasized that the safety of residents is her top priority and expressed her commitment to work with Metro and other entities to take immediate and long-term actions to address the issue.
The LA Metro addressed the concern by stating that they are relying on city and county partners to maintain cleanliness on sidewalks. The transit agency highlighted its dedicated employees who work hard to clean buses, trains, and stations. However, it suggested that a collaborative approach is needed to address the problem effectively.
