City of Cedar Rapids puts focus on clearing trash from right-of-ways

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) — The number one complaint from people who live in Cedar Rapids is: garbage. Specifically, trash left in the right of way, and the city said it’s cracking down.

The city of Cedar Rapids tracks city-wide complaints on its app called “My CR”. It tracks everything from unmowed grass to barking dogs. One of the biggest complaints is the presence of trash in the right-of-way.

A table was all that was left on the right-of-way in the Northeast Cedar Rapids. Tami Soukup said it was a very different scene only weeks earlier when her neighbors moved away.

“There was furniture up and down the street,” said Soukup.

She said it wasn’t just her neighbors either. It was something she saw as a growing problem in the city, bringing down property values.

“You get the washer, the dryers, the couches, and ever since they stopped the amnesty day,” said Soukup. “It’s been a mess.”

Solid Waste Recycling Manager Patricia Hall agreed that it was one of the city’s biggest complaints. Over the last 12 months, it has received 1,588 complaints. That was up from the year prior, when it received 1,216. It was double the number of complaints since the city said it was monitoring the rights-of-way more closely a year ago.

“That’s one of the number one complaints that we get in is trash in the right-of-way,” said Hall.” It’s people put a couch out there, a couple of chairs, and they don’t realize that you must call those items in.”

Hall said abatement officers were also adding to those complaints on “My CR” to make sure they get attended to, but Hall said they can’t do it alone.

“We only have two abatement officers for the whole, so the more complaints we get in, the more we can get our eyes in certain areas and drive those areas so we can get those in compliance,” said Hall. “It just makes the city look better, the more engagement and letting us know the issue. I am a big proponent; we can’t solve an issue if we don’t know about it.”

People need to call and schedule large items for pickup. The first item is $15, and each additional item is $5. Soukup, however, believes the city needs to bring back old city services where people could get rid of unwanted trash once a year.

“If all of you who remember amnesty day put in the word that we want amnesty day,” said Soukup.

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