COLORADO SPRINGS — As Preston Williams waited in near-zero temperatures for his Greyhound bus to arrive at the South Tejon Park-n-Ride on Saturday, he lamented how unsafe and unsatisfactory the location had become as a bus stop.
“It's unsafe because at nighttime, when it’s dark, you got people who is homeless, they be out here sleeping in cars and sleeping on the sidewalks and folks doing drugs,” said Williams.
Discarded needles were observed near the bus stop over the weekend.
Williams said the bus stop should be moved to a safer place that also provides shelter from the elements and restrooms since passengers like himself are stuck waiting in the cold with unease at the current location.
“It’s crazy to me. It’s crazy,” he said. “It should be in (a) safe place where people can come without having to worry about if they could be safe here. Or, if somebody going to try to rob them or somebody going to try to kill them.”
Shortly after the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) ended its services at the South Tejon Park-n-Ride, Greyhound tried to follow suit, but was denied by the City of Colorado Springs.
This new information was confirmed by both the City and the long haul bus company as the bus stop under I-25 between South Nevada Avenue and South Tejon Street faces ongoing safety and security concerns.
The City turning down Greyhound wasn’t malicious, they said, but simply due to a lack of alternatives.
“Greyhound/Flixbus inquired about the possibility of using the Downtown Terminal; however, we lack sufficient space to accommodate them at the current location,” said Elaine Sheridan with Mountain Metropolitan Transit. “We recommended that they reach out to CDOT about the use of their Woodmen Park and Ride.”
Greyhound and Flixbus merged in 2021.
CDOT terminated its regional Bustang route from the Park-n-Ride on November 30. At the time, a spokesperson said “the site has become an unsafe environment for Bustang passengers, Bustang operators, and the general public.”
A large transient and homeless population, which frequents the area, had shown aggressive behavior and threatened Bustang passengers and bus operators, according to CDOT.
“Along with drug use, and open fires are just some of the safety hazards that have been documented by Bustang passengers and operators,” CDOT said.
After CDOT pulled out its regional Bustang route from the Park-n-Ride, Greyhound became the last operator providing services at the location. CDOT still owns the property, but said they will not return unless something drastically changes to improve safety and security.
“The safety of our passengers, drivers, and team members is our top priority. We are actively pursuing a solution for the Tejon Park-n-Ride stop, exploring alternative locations and continuing ongoing discussions with the City,” said a Greyhound spokesperson.
Though the City told News5 they recommended Greyhound reach out to CDOT about potentially moving to the Woodmen Park-n-Ride, a CDOT spokesperson confirmed they have not heard from Greyhound as of this report.
A previous News5 investigation revealed the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) had 375 calls for service at the South Tejon Park-n-Ride from Dec. 2023 through Dec. 2024.
WATCH: Drugs, fires, and threats: Safety concerns persist for South Tejon Park-n-Ride
22 calls were related to drugs or narcotics and 21 calls for camping. There were six calls for assault, six for shots fired, five for robbery, and two shootings, amongst many others.
The City of Colorado Springs is contracted through CDOT to provide cleaning for the site, but called it a “complex situation” when it comes to addressing the root issues.
A spokesperson with the City of Colorado Springs says it will continue to enforce the no camping ordinance on the CDOT-owned property.
Seeking Solutions
City responds to continuing issues at Park-n-ride on South Tejon Street
With the help of the CSPD's Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) and Downtown Area Response Team, city leaders said they are working with the fire department on strategies to prevent fires related to encampments.
The City also said it’s coordinating with health and behavioral health services to help individuals access services and substance use treatment.
Email Senior Reporter Brett Forrest at brett.forrest@koaa.com. Follow @brettforrestTVon X and Brett Forrest News on Facebook.
Colorado GOP applauds Governor Polis as he continues to court Trump’s good graces
Colorado’s Democratic Governor Jared Polis has continually courted the good graces of Donald Trump and his new administration as the Republican gets ready to serve a second term in the White House.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
