A downtown Columbia bus shelter was removed in March after borough officials determined it had become a public safety issue.
Police Chief Jack Brommer said the borough received multiple reports of human feces at the Locust Street shelter in addition to a growing amount of litter. Brommer contacted the South Central Transit Authority, which operates the bus route, to assess the state of the bus shelter. Ultimately, he said, officials agreed the shelter was in poor condition.
An SCTA statement shared online by the borough resident who runs the Columbia Spy blog, noted Brommer requested SCTA remove the shelter because of “vagrancy, safety and hygiene issues.”
“I think the shelter itself was limited in size and didn’t really accommodate the number of people using the bus stop,” Brommer said. He added that he told SCTA that one solution could be to relocate the shelter.
The bus shelter was erected 20 years ago, Brommer said, and had not been properly maintained. Maintenance fell to SCTA, though Brommer said the authority contracted workers who did an “insufficient” job that left borough staff cleaning up afterwards.
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.
Brommer said the borough would be open to adding a new shelter at the stop in the future, though nothing is concrete. He noted that buses still stop at the location, which has two benches.
With a focus on sustainability and an opportunity for community connection, several organizations are coming together to host “Go Green, Columbia!” The all-day event will be held on Friday, April 25.
Organizers include Sahd Metal Recycling, LCSWMA, Columbia Borough, Columbia Borough Police, Columbia Borough Shade Tree Commission, Columbia Park Rangers, Columbia Merchants Association and the Susquehanna National Heritage Area.
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)– The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police are attempting to identify human remains found on Weise Island in the Susquehanna River on March 18, 1986.
The bus shelter on the 300 block of Locust Street was removed on March 26, 2025 by the South Central Transit Authority.
Following is the text of an April 7, 2025 email sent to Sharon Lintner by the South Central Transit Authority in response to a request for information on the recent removal of the Locust Street bus shelter by SCTA. It is reprinted here with the permission of SCTA.
Ms. Lintner,
Thank you for contacting SCTA about the shelter removal in Columbia.
SCTA was contacted by Chief Brommer to request that the shelter at 3rd & Locust be removed due to vagrancy, safety, and hygiene issues.
Since this shelter was funded with federal funds, we are required to keep the shelter in service for its useful life which is 15 years. This shelter has met its useful life so it was eligible for replacement or removal.
SCTA contacted rabbit transit to make them aware of the shelter removal and hear any concerns they had. They had no concerns.
SCTA has a contract with a company to installs and removes our shelters. SCTA had our contractor remove the shelter.
While SCTA had ownership and maintenance of this shelter, we fully support Columbia in their decision to request that SCTA remove the shelter. We always want to coordinate with the needs of the municipality.
It is unfortunate that the poor choices of a few people have resulted in the loss of this amenity for the rest of the community.
Anthony Rios conveyed 241 N. Second St. to Dana C. Wiggs for $243,500.
Proverb Realty LLC conveyed property on Locust Street to Wilchcombe Schantel, Neal Amin Davenport for $280,000.
Benjamin R. Reisinger conveyed 811 Ridge Ave. to Pazmino Liberio Alfredo, Liberio Alfredo Pazmino for $230,000.
Valley View Capital LLC conveyed 429 N. Third St. to Kim D. Fossett for $190,000.
Cfh Holdings LLC conveyed property on a public road to CFH Holdings LLC for $1.
Manor Street Apartments LLC conveyed 745 Manor St. to WG Sponsor LLC, WG Manor I. LLC, WG Manor II LLC, WG Manor III LLC for $1,500,000.
Trusted Property Group LLC conveyed 533 Manor St. to Blakely Marcus, Hammock Kiera S. for $240,000.
Cimarron Investments Llc, Cfh Holdings LLC conveyed property on a public road to Cfh Holdings LLC for $1.
Swift Robert Jr, Swift Robert A. Jr, Swift Virginia conveyed 258 S. Fourth St. to Swift Robert A. Jr, Ortiz Swift Francisca, Swift Francisca Ortiz for $1.
Joshua D. Broomell conveyed 479 Walnut St. to Kelsey N. Aument for $190,000.
This Tesla Cybertruck was in town the other day. These vehicles have become controversial ever since Tesla CEO Elon Musk publicly flashed the Nazi salute in January and, as a key member of DOGE, axed government programs and agencies under the guise of rooting out waste and fraud.
Here’s a side view.
A little later, the car was parked briefly at 4th & Locust.
*****************
This vehicle was out for a spin recently.
The Locust Street bus shelter was removed on March 26, 2025 by workers from the South Central Transit Authority.
Columbia Spy took photos of the dismantling, (shown above). At the March 27, 2025 borough council meeting, resident Sharon Lintner asked why the shelter was taken down. Mayor Leo Lutz replied that it was removed due to the expiration of a contract, as well as the cleanliness of the shelter. Some residents speculate that there’s more to the story. One theory is that it was removed due to unhoused people lingering there. If that’s the case, then it’s a mean gesture to remove it, and doing so won’t prevent people from gathering there, anyway. All it does is inconvenience bus riders in bad weather.
Three other shelters remain in the borough: this one at St. Peter Apartments…
…this one at Trinity House Apartments…
…and this one on North 3rd, near Linden. At this point, there’s no word on whether or not they’ll remain.
*****************
Columbia is about to get another Smoke Shop – this one at Plane & Manor.
Back in the day, the house was Jim Morton’s barbershop and later, Lee Splain’s barbershop.
And here’s a second new smoke shop. This one is at 236 Locust Street.
*****************
This yellow Penske truck was parked the wrong way for a few days on North 5th, just up from Locust Street.
He appears on a new banner at the State Theatre Vintage Emporium.
Here’s another look.
*****************
Council has discussed possible issues with truck traffic at the planned innovation park on Manor Street, but a small army of trucks has been going to and fro at the lot at 4th & Manor.
*****************
Some heavy clouds gathered the other day.
*****************
Norfolk Southern workers were at the crossing to the former wastewater treatment plant/borough sheds. The crossing must be stabilized so that JG Environmental, which is currently leasing the facility, can complete the purchase from the borough. At the March 27, 2025 council meeting, the mayor said it appears as though there is a resolution to this issue. He said he has been in contact with Norfolk Southern and Rep. Lloyd Smucker. According to the mayor, Norfolk Southern said the situation seems to be easily remedied and they will “put a rush on it.”
Note: On February 29, 2024, Shamrock Environmental announced it had acquired JG Environmental.
*****************
The Elks Lodge
Rotary Park regulations
Raven Ridge was at Columbia Crossing on Saturday.
Steps at the DAC were repaired/replaced.
Another date marker on a downspout at the DAC
Watch out for that man-eating minotaur on the highway.
Eric and his mom want to buy your house.
Free Halloween costume
Stars & stripes on a star
Coming in September
Some bricks at the bridge plaza are lifting and/or sinking.
Just for fun, here’s a look at one of the cannons.
Does anyone use chains on their tires anymore?
This is some sort of mythological creature.
Hola
Forklift vs car: Who would win?
We may never know, because the confrontation was avoided using the time-honored tactic of an illegal left turn.
Cleaning the camera in front of borough hall
AEG was under the bridge last week.
This is their surveyor’s camera.
A peek inside the front door of the historic society.
Skelly on North 9th is decked out for Easter.
*****************
Todd Stahl was on the trail and sent these photos:
Sealed bids for demolition and disposal of the dwelling located at 700 Franklin Street and the remaining accessory structure located at 1020 Manor Street will be received online via the PennBid Program, by Columbia Borough, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, until 11:00 AM, Thursday, April 17, 2025. The bids will be publicly opened and read electronically, via PennBid’s website, at 11:00 AM (prevailing time), same date. Bid results will be available end of business day, same date. Copies of Bidding Documents for the 700 Franklin Street Demolition project are available online and at no cost at (https://pennbid.bonfirehub.com). A bid bond by acceptable surety or a certified check made payable to Columbia Borough in the amount of 5% of the maximum bid must be provided by each bidder with their bid. Notice is hereby given to bidders that this project is subject to the provisions of the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act approved August 15, 1961 (Act No. 442, P.L. 987), as amended. Columbia Borough reserves the right to accept any bid or reject any or all bids. Columbia Borough Council, Steven Kaufhold, Borough Manager
.png)
