THE PROBLEM: Smoking was banned at the Old Town Transit Center in July, so people light up on the sidewalk in front of the station.
THE SITE: Old Town Transit Center
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The sidewalk on Congress Street is where employees wait for shuttles bound for the UCSD Medical Center and the University of San Diego. Katie McLaughlin said she and others are tired of the smoke and would like the Metropolitan Transit System to enforce its ordinance prohibiting smoking within 25 feet of its facilities.
The smoke is so bothersome, McLaughlin said, “I stand back until I see my shuttle.”
Just Fix It took a look and saw many people light up and face the station. When their trolley arrived, they dropped the butts and headed off. The ground was covered with butts. A woman heading for the USD shuttle plugged her nose as she walked past the smokers.
We also heard from a rider who catches a bus at MTS' stop at Fifth Avenue and Broadway in downtown San Diego. He said people smoke there all the time. In fact, he said, someone removed the no-smoking sign.
STATUS: MTS will start asking smokers near the Old Town station to put out their cigarettes or move more than 25 feet from the property line, said Rob Schupp, a spokesman for the transit agency. Security staff at the station is expected to be briefed today. Schupp said security staff could ticket smokers but would prefer asking them to voluntarily comply. He said security staff members have written hundreds of citations since the law went into effect, but the tickets have been for people caught smoking on MTS property.
As for the bus stop at Fifth and Broadway, Schupp said the no-smoking sign has been replaced and the security staff will monitor the location more closely.
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE: Bill Burke, MTS' director of security, who can be reached at (619) 595-4947 or bill.burke@sdmts.com.
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