Next Week's Schedule for Debris Removal from Flood-impacted Highways

December 13, 2013 - Northeastern Colorado/CDOT Region 4 - All flood-related debris will be removed from CDOT right-of-way

BOULDER, JEFFERSON, LARIMER, AND WELD COUNTIES — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has contracted with Phillips and Jordan, Inc. to collect debris from flood-impacted state highways. Residents who live on the flooded highways are urged to bring their flood-related debris to just off the pavement next to the highway, where it will be picked up over the next few weeks. Debris crews are working Monday through Saturday from sun up to sun down. Next week’s right-of-way debris removal schedule is as follows:

  • State Highway (SH) 7: Beginning Friday, December 13 and continuing into next week
  • SH 72 and SH 170: Monday, December 16
  • SH 52 and SH 119: Tuesday, December 17

The second pass of right-of-way debris removal from impacted corridors (US 34, US 36, SH 7, SH 60, SH 66, SH 72, and SH 119) will begin after the holidays.

In addition to right-of-way debris cleanup, crews will be removing flood-related debris that is impacting CDOT structures (bridges, culverts, etc.) from Friday, December 13 through Saturday, December 21 on US 34, US 36, SH 7, SH 60, and SH 287.

Debris crews will not access private property or city/county roads to pick up debris, so residents will need to place any flood-related debris right along the edge of the highway to have it removed.

The second pass of right-of-way debris removal from US 34, US 36, SH 7, SH 60, SH 66, SH 72, and SH 119 will begin after the holidays.  A third pass will be scheduled for some time in mid- to late-January, as required. CDOT will update the public as the schedule changes.

The following is a guideline of the materials that will be removed from CDOT right-of-way:

What will be picked up:

  • Household hazardous waste: Paints, cleaners, solvents, propane tanks, petroleum products, etc.
  • White waste: Appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washers & dryers, hot water heaters, dishwashers and microwave ovens
  • Electronic waste: Computers, televisions, DVD players and telephones
  • Vegetation waste: Branches, plants, trees and grass

o   CDOT requests that vegetative materials be separated from other materials in piles of six feet in length or less for easier pickup.

  • Construction & demolition waste: Wood framing from houses, furniture, carpet, clothes, concrete, etc.
  • Car waste: Car parts including batteries

What will not be picked up:

  • Regular household garbage. This should be disposed of in your dumpsters and removed by your waste management provider.

How to prepare vegetative (woody) and construction & demolition (C&D) debris for pickup

  • Residents are urged to separate the debris into piles by type by material, and not all debris will be removed at once due to the size of trucks hauling materials and the amount of materials in a given area.
  • Separate the vegetative and C&D debris into different piles.
  • You do not need to bundle the piles or cut them to length. They will be picked up. However, more manageable lengths (six feet or less) are easier to pick up.
  • Do not place piles near obstructions (mailboxes, hydrants, trees) in case a clam bucket is used to pick up the pile.
  • Putting small amounts of C&D and horticultural waste (less than 50 pounds) in cans instead of piles also is helpful.

Once collected, debris is taken directly to local landfills for final disposal or to CDOT properties to be reduced and eventually used for construction or slope stabilization. Any vehicle materials found in debris piles will be searched for a VIN number, and if a VIN is found, CDOT will keep it on record. Citizens still searching for their vehicles post-flood can contact CDOT to see if their vehicle has been recovered.

For questions about the debris removal process, please visit the CDOT flood information website at http://www.coloradodot.info/travel/floodinfoupdates. Members of the public can also email [email protected], or speak to someone directly at720-263-1589. For toll-free call 1-800-999-4997.

To receive real-time updates about road conditions in your area, visitwww.coloradodot.info and click on the green cell phone icon in the upper right hand corner of the page. Information about weekly lane closures will be available atwww.coloradodot.info/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html. Live road conditions are available at www.cotrip.org or by calling 511 from anywhere in the state. Updates are also available via Twitter @coloradodot and be sure to “Like” our Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/coloradodot.