Metro transit is adding patrols near a troubled stop. 46th and Hiawatha is a busy area in south Minneapolis.
"It's a place where a lot of buses and trains come together, so there's a lot of activity. There's a business right there next to the station, a housing development right there," says Drew Kerr who is a spokesperson for Metro Transit.
Kerry says people living near the stop have complained of crime and other bad behavior.
"Well, transit is a reflection of what happens in the communities that we serve and so of course that means there are things like drug use, there's litter, there are behavioral issues that need to be addressed," Kerr adds.
He says they have added personel to deal with the issues, and that they remain committed to keeping the area safe.
"If there's something that needs more intervention, perhaps a police response, and also just to be helpful to people who are there," Kerr explains. "And maybe have questions about where to go, what services there are."
Kerr says neighbors complained about drug use and other unbecoming behavior so they have added amenities like portable toilets.
They also did a survey asking neighbors what they needed, and one dealt with closing a foot path that some had deemed dangerous. However, Kerr says two-thirds of respondents said they wanted to keep the path.
"So, if all the things that we've done in totality aren't still getting at the root causes of some of the concerns we hear at this location, we'll keep trying, keep going with other things that maybe can really get at this issue," he said. "Which we want to address on behalf of our riders and employees and all the people that are around the station."
Kerr also says some of the businesses near the station have formed a coalition to exchange strategies for improvements.
It's just the latest issue for Metro Transit light rail stations. There have been concerns among businesses along the Green Line route, especially along University Avenue. And there have been multiple issues with crime, drug use and homelessness at the Lake Street and Franklin Avenue stations in South Minneapolis.
Patrols have also been added to those two Blue Line stops, which some neighbors of the 46th Street station believe pushed some of the issues further south.