By Laura Lane
³See how he didn¹t even try to touch the banister?² remarked Barry Fox, president of the Merrick Park Home Owners Association. ³Everyone who takes the train knows that the banisters are dirty and have pigeon poop on them. They¹d rather fall on the steps than touch those railings.²
The Herald toured the Merrick depot with Fox and Derek Donnelly, president of the Merrick Gables Homeowners Association. The civic leaders worry about a number of problems at the Merrick station. Foremost among them is pigeon feces, because the activists believe the droppings represent a threat to public health.
During the tour, pigeons were seen nesting in a number of spots at the station. Pigeon droppings were found on the railings of the Hewlett Avenue staircase, on the platforms and in outdoor waiting areas below the railroad platform.
Martin Valk, legal counsel to the Merrick Park Home Owners Association, takes the train to work in Manhattan from the Merrick station daily. He often takes his 8-year-old son into the city as well. ³My son has been instructed since he was small not to use the handrails,² said Valk, who worries that this rule would make a fall dangerous for his son if he were to trip.
But, more than falling, Valk worries about his son touching the handrails. ³If he touches them, he¹ll get a handful of pigeon poop. I don¹t ever hold onto the handrails either, and I do worry about tripping, especially in snowy weather,² said Valk.
According to the Nassau County Department of Health, pigeon droppings can aggravate asthma and cause a number of other illnesses. ³A susceptible person who is allergic to pigeon droppings could experience an allergic reaction through inhalation or direct contact with the allergen,² said a department representative. Pigeon feces also carry ³bacteria, viruses and parasites [that] could be transmitted via the oral route. Individuals should wash their hands after contact with any soiled surface, particularly before eating.²
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has installed plastic spikes on the high ledges where pigeons like to nest to prevent them from gathering there. The effort appears to have been successful in certain places, but not in others. In a number of spots, the spikes don¹t point inward far enough to stop pigeons from nesting.
Double spikes appear to be more effective, as they leave too little room for the birds to nest. There were no droppings underneath ledges that were double-spiked.
The MTA also put up wire netting in certain areas to block pigeons¹ access to the ledges. The netting appears to be effective, but it is torn in spots. Sam Zambuto, an MTA and LIRR spokesman, said the railroad plans to replace or repair the netting by year¹s end.
There are no plans to add spiking, which was installed in late 2002 and 2004. ³The Long Island Rail Road employs services from an outside extermination company, and depends on their expertise for pigeon control,² said Zambuto.
He said that railroad officials were unaware of pigeon droppings on banisters at the Merrick station. ³Banisters are cleaned on a daily basis as needed,² said Zambuto. ³The hot-water spray-wash team schedules visits at the station once a month April through November, spray-washing the banisters, staircases, plaza areas and any other areas required as a result of the problem caused by pigeons.²
Comments about this story? LLane@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
Photos by Rebecca Lopatin/Herald
