Trash piles cause concern on footbridge in East New York
Piles of trash near a footbridge are causing concern in East New York.
Commuters said trash is a common sight to see along the Livonia Bridge, which connects the neighborhood to Brownsville and provides access to the L and 3 trains.
“It’s pretty dirty usually,” said Ben Fiorica, a commuter.
“[It’s] nasty,” said Jerdene Stewart, another commuter. “Sometimes I say, ‘Oh my God. They haven’t cleaned this thing in months.’”
Brooklyn Council Member Chris Banks said he received complaints from the community and had to see it for himself.
“I was annoyed, frustrated,” said Banks.
So he posted a video to social media earlier this week, calling out the Department of Transportation, which is responsible for cleaning the walkway.
Banks recorded another cellphone video on Wednesday, which showed overflowing trash cans and garbage on the ground along the railing.
But a crew cleaned the area on Thursday shortly before News 12 arrived on scene.
“Oh my God, it’s clean,” Stewart laughed.
“DOT finally did their job,” said Banks.
But Banks pointed out that this wasn’t the first time.
As News 12 reported, the same thing happened in April 2025. Banks said DOT agreed to schedule multiple cleanings each month.
“We shouldn’t have to get this type of news coverage to clean a bridge,” said Banks. “We pay taxes. That’s automatic.”
News 12 reached out to DOT on Thursday for comment but had not yet heard back.
