Trash Dumped along 9-Mile Road--and other Area Roadways--Remains a Chronic Issue

I've been contacted by numerous constituents now about the trash lining the roadways on District 1.  Specific areas include the south side of 9-Mile Road from I-10 to Beulah Road, Mobile Hwy from Hwy 90 to Pine Forest Road, and Sorrento Road and Blue Angel Parkway in the southern portion of D1.

I have called the state's contractor via staff and my office numerous times about the issue--however the problem remains a chronic one.

Several local groups are now voluntarily going out and picking up trash along the roads adjacent to their subdivisions.  I have spoken with county administration and we will provide bags and rubbish "grabbers" for folks willing to do this.  Just contact my office at 850-595-4910 and I will get your contact information to the appropriate staff personnel who can provide these items.

But it is a sad commentary on our area that this continues to be a chronic problem.

I walked the southern side of 9-Mile road from Beulah Road to the I-10 onramp at exit 5.  What I saw was disgusting.  I filmed what I saw on a Facebook Live video along part of the route.  From an email I sent this morning to staff and the state's rubbish collection contractor, Ferrovial Services, this morning:

..on yesterday’s walk I saw full bags of garbage, more than 100 plastic bottles, fast food bags/cups, cardboard, pizza boxes, and beer/soda cans lining the south portion of the roadway by the sidewalk and in the culverts.  I also saw a couch and mattress dumped over the bridge to the banks of the 11 mile creek below.  Additionally—it appears as someone has also thrown large piece of wooden cabinet into the creek. (The north side of the road, directly adjacent to Navy Federal Credit Union’s campus, did not appear to have the same problem and looked clean.  I’m assuming they have their own crews cleaning their side?)

 So that I can be more well-equipped to handle constituent complaints and questions on this issue specifically going forward-can you let me know the following:

1. How frequently your crews clean trash along 9-Mile Road, Mobile Highway, Blue Angel Parkway, and Sorrento Road? (primary D1 roadways the state maintains)
2. Are you the appropriate person/entity to contact for this issue?
3. Are the mowing crews also under your contract?  (I ask because I saw numerous examples of boxes/plastics/signs that appeared to have been “run over” by the mower instead of simply picked up.  This results in “confetti” of trash all over the area which looks even worse.)
4. How soon can your teams of employees clean this area of 9-Mile road specifically?

 Sorry for the length of this email and the direct nature of it.  But what I saw yesterday was, to put it simply, appalling.  I know the state spent millions of dollars creating this four lane road and sidewalks—which the constituents I serve greatly appreciate.  I hate to see it in the state it is in currently"

Pigpen------Sacola?

A constituent repurposed a piece of junk mail to send me ideas on how to stop the local litterbugs from turning our community into "Pigpen-sacola"  Interesting, creative  approach....

The package was nondescript.  Actually it was something I almost tossed into the trash receptacle--because it looked like junk mail.  Well, it actually was a junk mail envelope sent to someone else who subsequently repurposed it.

It was apparently one of those life insurance solicitation envelopes we all get.  This one was taped together with masking tape, clear tape, and staples and upon which someone subsequntly plopped 3 first class and one 2cent  postage stamp(s).  I wonder how the postage amount was worked out precisely? Did they weigh the envelope with a postage scale, or just guesstimate?

Oh well.  

Maybe I should have looked for wires or put it to my ear to listen for the ticking before I opened it.  but I didn't and it turned out okay.  

Except for the puff of powedery substance that eminated from the package as I openend it.  (okay, that didn't happen.....)  Maybe it did and was clear?  Nah....

Anyway....

It, this envelope, was repurposed to send me multiple "ideas" ----in stream of consciousness fashion.  some doodles, some drawings, some hand drawn posters, and four note cards with slogan ideas and smiley faces.

All in a AAA Autoclub mass mailer that was opened, had the contents taken out, and stuffed with these works of art and words of wisdom and cobbled back together McGuyver-style.  The only thing they didn't work into the compilation was rubber bands.....

No, the contents of the "Pigpen-sacola" package were not an elementary school class project....so far as I have been able to ascertain from the clues.....probably.  I think.

In what would have been the return envelope location, the following was handwritten:

"Info inside  SAMPLE POSTERS, IDEAS CONCERN re-littering discussion in 'pigpen---sacola?' (from some senior saint ladies)"

Although not the way I normally receive litter complaints--it was definitely eye-catching.

And the good news is our inmate labor crews are out on our county roadways, once again collecting trash. tons of it.

Another constituent, on Facebook, also contacted me this week. She suggested the installation of signs as well---- to (hopefully) appeal to the collective consciences of the local litterbugs.  

So perhaps it is time for some signage.  Something needs to be done about the littering.  We've discussed it, we have neighborhood cleanups, and we encourage folks NOT to litter.  It's not working.

Meanwhile--the bags full of Whataburger wrappers, paper plates being flung like frisbees out of cars, and junk falling out of the back of pickups, trailers, and trash trucks are making our community look like a dump. And plastic bottles with or without suspicious yellow liquid are also a frequent sight on the roads.  It's disgusting.   I certainly hope folks reconsider chucking their loaded trashbags out the back of their trucks all over our roads, too, --but thus far I've seen no evidence of this behavior change locally.  

Regardless-----we need to get this litter issue under control before this new nickname "Pigpen-sacola" sticks faster than an empty, run-over natty-lite suitcase melted onto a stretch of Michigan Avenue on a hot summer day...... 

We don't want to be "Pigpen---sacola."

Trash and Litter Issues Plague this County.... How Can WE Fix This?

I witnessed a driver on Mobile Highway by Bellview Middle School throw a paper plate out his window this morning just like it was a frisbee.  Why are citizens treating their roadways like their personal garbage can?  Would fining people get this behavior corrected?

My office has been inundated with complaints about this. Litter, and garbage, all over the place. I have seen it.  We have all seen it.

It's disgusting.

In the wake of the Hurricane Sally cleanup--there are still a number of piles of debris around my district.

This morning I saw several debris piles on Community Drive between Belview Avenue and Longleaf.  The north and south side of I-10 between exit 5 and I-110 looks like a garbage dump.  

Mobile Hwy--north and south on the right of way--is covered in litter.

As I drove up Mobile Hwy past Bellview Middle School today---I watched as a trailer being pulled by a truck had garbage falling out the back--including a large cardboard box and lots of loose, flying paper.  Right next to him was a newer Chevy Camaro with tinted windows.  I was astonished to see the driver's side window roll down--and that driver flung what looked like a "Chinet" paper plate out the window like  a frisbee.

Why do people treat these state and local roadways are their personal garbage cans?

I am working with my counterpart on the ECUA and county staff and ECUA staff to organize a mass cleanup of our streets and communities.

I am also going to discuss better enforcement of our "no littering" ordinances--to include installing more signs and actually fining violators.

But at the end of the day--these are just treating symptoms of the much larger problem which is this:  Why do people so disregard their own community to the level that they treat it like a garbage dump?  Where is their pride in their area?  What a SAD state of affairs.

Maybe a $100 dollar fine for littering would get their attention?

I'm bringing this up at Thursday's meeting.