Santa Cruz Metro removes 6 bus stop benches among sanitation and safety concerns

While the city and county of Santa Cruz are searching for ways to improve the homeless crisis, Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) system is also facing challenges.

Over the past two years METRO has removed 6 benches from bus stops around the county after seeing a spike in transients sleeping or spending extended amounts of time there.

Some of those benches have been replaced with partial seats, others have been left empty.

METRO CEO, Alex Clifford, said riders have not only complained about people sleeping, but also leaving feces, urine and drug paraphernalia at the stops.

Clifford said this also poses a risk to the crews who have to clean up the bus stops.

Since the removal of certain benches, Clifford said they have seen improvements.

While some have complained about not having a place to sit anymore, there are no ADA rules requiring METRO to provide seating at bus stops.

To put the amount of benches removed into perspective, there are more than 800 stops around the county, about half of those have seats.