SCOTTSDALE
– Although organizations responsible for cleanup say they’re
doing their part to keep Loop 101 that runs through Scottsdale
free from litter, trash still accumulates faster than workers
and volunteers can pick it up. The solution to the problem doesn’t
appear to be one of greater manpower and frequency, but of more
conscientious drivers.
Whoever
is responsible for the accumulation of trash along Loop 101,
Tim Montgomery of ScenicPimaRoad.com isn’t happy. His organization
is dedicated to protecting the unique and pristine view of the
corridor along Pima Road from Loop 101 to Carefree.
“It’s
an eyesore,” said Montgomery of the litter along the freeway
and in the underpasses. “It almost looks like we’re in Trenton,
New Jersey.”
Volunteers
from Montgomery’s organization regularly conduct trash pickups
along Loop 101, but they have a difficult time keeping up with
the volume of litter. The Arizona Department of Transportation
(ADOT) is responsible for cleanup on the section of Loop 101
running through Scottsdale. ADOT operates that portion of the
freeway under a perpetual lease from the Salt River Pima‑Maricopa
Indian Community.
According
to Jodi Sorrell, a spokesperson for ADOT, the agency has five
crews of 11 persons responsible for picking up litter on the
freeway system in Maricopa County, and Loop 101 in Scottsdale
is serviced once a week.
“Of
course, if anyone sees a significant amount of litter or a large
object like a tire, they can call us and we’ll try to send our
people out within a couple of days,” Sorrell related. The number
to call is (602) 712‑7355.
Sorrell
said “fly‑away” litter coming from the back of construction
vehicles is a constant concern for ADOT. “People need to think
about what they’re carrying in the back of their trucks and
to make sure it’s properly secured or covered,” she pointed
out.
Every
year ADOT spends millions of dollars removing trash from the
state’s 6,671 miles of highway. In the Phoenix metro area alone,
more than 6,000 bags of litter are removed every month.
Janet
Johnson, community relations director for the Salt River Pima‑Maricopa
Indian Community, said the community “periodically” sends out
members of its public works crew to clean up litter on the inside
of the freeway fence line. “Actually, our biggest problem is
trespassers who come through and dump trash on our property,”
she said.
The
Adopt a Highway Volunteer Program is a national litter awareness
program where groups volunteer to pick up trash along Arizona’s
freeways and highways. Each year, more than 1,700 groups participate,
saving about $1.8 million in taxpayer money, according to ADOT.
Another
program, the Adopt a Highway Sponsor Program, allows Arizona
businesses to contract through a preapproved maintenance provider
to remove litter in busier urban areas where more frequent removal
is necessary. Sponsors of the program are recognized by a sign
that includes their name along the highway. Among the companies
that have been with the program since it started in 1997 are
Berge Ford, McDonald’s Restaurants, Midway Auto Team and Scottsdale
Health Care. Jobing.com has the record for the most areas adopted–20.
Reach
the reporter at barry@thedesertadvocate.com.
