Amarillo residents are complaining about trash and debris left on sidewalks, roadways, front yards, ditches and other open areas in Amarillo.
Residents in Amarillo have begun citing concerns about the amounts of trash left in and around Amarillo. In a photo that was recently circulated on social media, a mattress was left in the center of the median at Interstate 40 and Georgia. It is unclear who left the broken mattress in the location or whether City crews cleaned up the site.
Amarillo Pioneer staff checked Amarillo neighborhoods today and found items such as tires, bed frames, cabinets, tree limbs and other pieces of debris in open areas around the City. Near the railroad tracks at 10th Avenue, a stack of four tires was placed in the road behind buildings in the area. As of Friday afternoon, the debris remained in place.
Some residents have expressed concerns about the trash and some are calling for stronger enforcement of debris cleanup.
"I think people should have more responsibility than leaving trash out on the side of the road," An Amarillo resident told the Amarillo Pioneer. "They should be held responsible if they get caught. They should get tickets."
City officials have instituted a program for residents to ask for road-side debris cleanup. In an article on Amarillo.gov, City staff says that residents are encouraged to request the cleanup for bulky items.
In a Facebook video issued earlier this year, Mayor Ginger Nelson called the dumping of items "a crisis in our city." Nelson further stated that the program would be temporary to solve dumping problems.
It is unclear whether the City of Amarillo plans to continue curb-side pickup or whether the program will be disbanded.
For more information about curb-side trash pickup in Amarillo, visit amarillo.gov.
