Union Station Seating Area Reopens After Reported Bed Bug Incident

The seating area at Union Station reopened Tuesday after the New Haven Parking Authority received a report of bed bugs at the station.

The parking authority said they immediately responded and shut down the seating area where the bed bugs were reported.

A contracted service provider searched the building for potential bed bugs. Cleaning continued into Monday night and the train station said it expected to reopen Tuesday, according to the parking authority. By late morning, the seating area had reopened.

"Bed bugs here is very scary," said Andrew Spears, of New Haven. "Very disconcerting about New Haven and their sanitation."

Officials said the seating area was expected to reopen, per the guidance of the city's health department.

"A passenger facility with this many passengers has seen its fair share of issues like this," according to the parking authority.

Union Station was treated with certain chemicals and compounds Sunday night. Parking Authority Executive Director Douglas Hausladen said the station remained open and no one is at harm.

"The surfaces are all hard surfaces so they are easy to clean and treat. And there shouldn't be any concern to the traveling public moving forward," Hausladen said.

He said the parking authority has seen "a number of folks unhoused that are using Union Station."

"We’ve been seeing more people being unhoused than the past. At the same time, I think it’s routine in a lot of the train stations in the region experiencing this, especially the major train stations that have an indoor space. We’re seeing this as a statewide problem and we’re definitely not immune to it in New Haven," Hausladen said.

It's unknown whether or not this is connected to the report of bed bugs.

The train station has been getting deep cleaned every three to six weeks since the pandemic started.