@typewriteralley recently posted about the now infamous Capitol Hill Station vacuum — “The detritus at Capitol Hill Station has gotten to the level of small appliances”
After seven years accumulation of grime and grit, a discarded vacuum cleaner didn’t push things over the edge but its recent removal along with the rest of the trash that had piled up below the escalator down to the subway platform was a sign of things to come.
It is time to clean up Capitol Hill Station.
John Gallagher, a spokesperson for Sound Transit, tells CHS that the station is generally cleaned on a daily basis, as the custodial staff operates on three shifts throughout the week while also being tasked to respond to urgent cleaning requests from all stations.
But something changed below Broadway in recent months. And the junk — and complaints — have piled up at the seven-year-old facility.
According to Gallagher, Sound Transit has seen an increase in hygiene complaints at the station the possible factors including bold graffiti drawings on the escalators and walls. In addition, riders noticed piles of garbage thrown around the entrances and accumulating in the station’s nooks and crannies.
“We have attempted to make efforts to fix the situation,” Gallagher said. “Last week, we sent a specialized graffiti removal crew to work on the escalators, and cleared out most debris from the elevated areas as well.”
But riders have expressed frustration with the lack of effort taken by Sound Transit to ensure the upkeep of the station, complaining of trash on the overhead lights and the lack of dustbins near the platforms. There was also concern raised about dirt on the floors, and foul smell in most elevators.
Sound Transit says it is also taking on tagging and graffiti in the station (Image: Sound Transit)
Gallagher said Sound Transit is very aware of the issues. And there are some new resources coming to help. Earlier this month, Sound Transit hammered out a one-year specialized contract with Rise To The Top Escalator Cleaning Service developed to introduce deep cleaning services for all Sound Transit vertical conveyance equipment, namely escalators and elevators.
With a budget of $2,714,893, the services are hoped to ensure the maintenance of escalator steps and elevator interiors, using advanced cleaning equipment. Gallagher said that the services would be provided if Sound Transit reported a sanitation issue outside of its normal cleaning schedule, which would then be addressed through deep cleaning. The effort also includes on-call removal and cleaning of bio-hazardous substances near elevators and escalators in the link station.
The agreement still needs to be finalized and signed-off on before service begins in coming months.
Not only will the deal help the station stay cleaner, it might also help with another annoyance most light rail riders have learned to live with. The cleaning could help Capitol Hill Station’s fragile escalators from breaking down so often.
As for the real-time arrival and departure information boards, no cleaning is going to help those. The system remains unreliable after a “soft launch” earlier this year.
Another issue hasn’t exactly been solved but they’re trying. You might notice the presence of strategically placed cages in the station. CHS is told those were initially placed as a sanitation measure to reduce pigeon droppings in the station.
The cleanliness concerns at Capitol Hill Station come as light rail ridership has surged back to pre-pandemic levels. Along with more riders, the system has also experienced an increase in safety concerns and service issues along with staffing challenges. Sound Transit has promised initiatives to bring an improved “rider experience” including new and increased security, better outreach through station agents, continued efforts to try to keep overworked escalators moving until they can be upgraded or replaced, and simple improvements like station trash cans.
“We will keep a close eye on things to maintain the cleanliness of the station, and alert security to monitor activity within the station, to reduce such situations,” Gallagher said.
As for grime and trash, Sound Transit says to keep the complaints — and praise? — coming.
“We definitely encourage folks to constantly alert us of such issues, and we are making several efforts to ensure that riders have a pleasant experience while using the trains,” Gallagher said. “We have identified this as a safety concern, and we’ve been addressing this by taking action.”
You can find Sound Transit contact information here.
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