Levittown residents complain about bugs, mice at LIRR-owned property

LEVITTOWN (WABC) -- Some residents on Long Island are voicing their concerns about a property they say is an eye sore that is full of mice and insects.

And further investigation reveals that the two-mile stretch of weeded land is owned by the Long Island Rail Road.

Dozens of homes back up to the property, which was used from the 1870s through the 1930s as a rail track, and residents and Town of Hempstead officials say they've been asking the LIRR to clean it up for years. But they claim nothing has been done, even as their backyards are infested with bugs and rodents.

"Mosquitoes, there's rats," Levittown resident Wayne Murphy said. "We get so bad with mosquitoes over here, it's incredible. If

Town of Hempstead officials say LIRR crews do clean every now and then, but only after they've been flooded with phone calls. I found three dead rats over there."

"It's the height of arrogance that the Long Island Rail Road feels it can ignore this problem and be a terrible neighbor," Hempstead Town Supervisor Anthony Santino said.

LIRR officials tell Eyewitness News they are looking into the situation.

"We trimmed this decommissioned stretch of railroad just last month, will continue to do so, and will continue to stay in contact with local elected officials," MTA LIRR spokesperson Savlatore Arena told Eyewitness News in a statement. "As we have as recently as this week."

Residents counter that nothing has been done.