Wednesday, February 3, 2010

The Pigeon Poop Delimma @ Green/Orange Line Roosevelt Stop

This might not be an issue for some peeps, but in our mind it's disgusting. If you've ever exited the Orange or Green line platform that lets you out on the South side of Roosevelt or simply walked under the stop on the South side, you can't help but notice the ridiculous amount of Pigeon crap on the sidewalks and doors. Look up (but be careful) when you exit and there are tons of Pigeons just sitting there, crapping at will. Here is a video we shot. To be honest there usually is more Pigeons, but still, look at the doors and don't tell me this isn't disgusting:


Luckily we've never been hit by Pigeon droppings (knock on wood), but this is frankly disgusting (see old Sloopin post where we mentioned this). Since this isn't getting better, we felt like it was time to contact the CTA and Alderman Fioretti and voice our displeasure. Thankfully we have our faithful Sloopin readers to help in the cause.

If you would like to see this issue fixed (maybe with metal spikes to prevent the pigeons from roosting there) simply reply "amen" in the comments. Or even better send the following letter to the CTA (feedback@transitchicago.com) or Alderman Fioretti (ward02@cityofchicago.org):

Dear CTA and Alderman Fioretti,

Thank you for all you do for our neighborhood (and the city). I am writing in regard to a disgusting problem with the South exit from the Green and Orange line platform at the Roosevelt stop. If you've ever used or walked on the sidewalk by this exit it seems to be infested with Pigeons. Whether it's rotting dead Pigeons on the roof or the feces that litter the doors and sidewalk at this exit, it's absolutely repulsive and is a blemish on our neighborhood.

With that said, we strongly encourage you to look at improving this problem. We know that many stations have metal or plastic spikes that prevent Pigeons from roosting on structural beams and other areas and would love to see something like this implemented at our station.

For more background and pictures of this problem please visit Sloopin here or at the following link:
http://www.sloopin.com/2010/02/pigeon-poop-delimma-greenorange-line.html


Thank you for your consideration and hope you can help solve this problem.

Sincerely,
(Your Name Here)

And just for proof, here are some additional pictures we've snapped at the stop:

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Agreed, BUT the little birds must be moved humanely.

Anonymous said...

amen

Josh said...

amen. but screw humanely. I'd love to see them killed and fed to the homeless.

Anonymous said...

Second that Josh, maybe Opera could use an upgrade by putting pigeon meat on the menu. Amen.

Unknown said...

amen!!!!

Emily said...

amen

Anonymous said...

I thought it was racist to complain about the state of the Roosevelt eL station?

Anonymous said...

Anon (10:15), although I realize you're attempting to be sarcastic, I will still answer the question.

I guess the post is discriminating against pigeons, but if anybody was shitting all over the sidewalk I think it would be acceptable to call them out, IMO.

Jim in the Sloop said...

While the poop is certainly disgusting, even more disgusting is that DEAD pigeons are left on the roof you see from the steps for weeks/months.

Anonymous said...

amen. if you could remove the panhandlers from the area too that would be great

Anonymous said...

In between the pigeons and the overwhelming stench of urine I can't fathom why anyone uses that exit at the station.

Anonymous said...

I just emailed both of them as should everyone else!!

FGFM said...

If this blog is going to turn into Uptown Update, can we have a few more posts about trucks getting stuck under the viaduct west of 18th Street and Clark?

Anonymous said...

must be the falling bird poop that forces the bus crowd to jaywalk across the street to the train station with no consideration for traffic, crosswalks, or their own safety.

FGFM said...

must be the falling bird poop that forces the bus crowd to jaywalk across the street to the train station with no consideration for traffic, crosswalks, or their own safety.

Oh, you know how "those people" are. What the Cappleman!

Anonymous said...

pigeon poop seems to be a problem around many el stops. i find the area near the stairs at the union stop on the brown line (near adams and wells) to be particularly disgusting.

i really don't understand why the CTA isn't more vigilant about this stuff considering how toxic pigeon shit is.

Tim said...

If something can reasonably be done about it, I'm all for it. Maybe while they're at it they can take care of the "pigeon" Anon that leaves his waste all over this blog.

Anonymous said...

I complained about the pigeon crap, urine stench, panhandlers, and jay-walkers at this eL stop months ago. At that time, I remember being universally mocked by everyone; in fact, I was told to "move to the suburbs," if I couldn't live with these realities of city life.

Now, not only is there a post dedicated to this topic (thank you Sloopy), but it seems that quite a few of you are singing a different tune these days. Hopefully, others now realize that the atmosphere surrounding this eL station creates both a health and safety hazard. And we want another one of these at 18th street? Maybe now everyone will start to understand why a viable, non-fast food, dining option will never come to the former Sam's locale.

Lance Uppercut said...

This is indeed a fact of urban life, Anon.

No one's saying you have to love it but with weekly cutbacks in vital city transit services it should come as no surprise that issues regarding sanitation get bumped way back.

I had to laugh at your attempt to dovetail this pigeon poop non-issue with what is or isn't going into the old Sam's space. You obviously have no recollection of how long this building laid vacant before being rehabbed to it's current state.

FGFM said...

I complained about the pigeon crap, urine stench, panhandlers, and jay-walkers at this eL stop months ago. At that time, I remember being universally mocked by everyone

Don't worry, I'm still here for you.

Carl said...

A sad anonymous poster so desperate to be right about something.

Anonymous said...

This entire eL stop is disgusting and needs to be revamped. The CTA should start by firing the "employee" who sits on her ass in the glass booth every am rush hour reading the paper, chatting on her phone, and shoveling food into her mouth. Don't talk to me about budget cuts and then try to justify paying welfare to that woman. Also, the welfare-collecting people who stand at the corner of Michigan and Roosevelt "directing traffic" by smoking on the side of the road and chatting on their phones need to go as well.

FGFM said...

The CTA should start by firing the "employee" who sits on her ass in the glass booth every am rush hour reading the paper, chatting on her phone, and shoveling food into her mouth. Don't talk to me about budget cuts and then try to justify paying welfare to that woman.

Decent scare quotes. She's just there to make sure that no one jumps the turnstyles, right? And how exactly is working for the CTA in even the most menial job equivalent to collecting welfare?

Also, the welfare-collecting people who stand at the corner of Michigan and Roosevelt "directing traffic" by smoking on the side of the road and chatting on their phones need to go as well.

How do you know that all those people collect welfare?

Anonymous said...

Anyone working on the public dime (even public school teachers) are paid with "welfare" dollars.

Welfare is any private person receiving public tax dollars.

Anonymous said...

To supplement the last anon, this morning there are NINE men in neon CTA vests standing outside the eL entrance with shovels in their hands. They are all standing in a circle talking - and none of them are shoveling.