Raleigh -The N.C. Department of
Transportation is developing a plan to clean up debris along state-maintained
roads in Orange, Alamance and Guilford counties, the areas hardest hit by last
week's icy winter storm.
Department crews continue to clear any debris that fell onto state-maintained roads, cutting up trees and branches and
pushing them off to the side of the roadway. The pickup of that debris, as well
as the vegetation debris that residents who live along those roads place beside the
roadway will be handled by contractors.
NCDOT staff is determining a cost estimate of the cleanup
effort so it can award an emergency contract for the debris removal. The Governor's
State of Emergency declaration last week enables NCDOT to waive the usual
contract bidding process, which would take several weeks.
Once a contract is awarded, which could be by late next
week, a schedule for debris pickup will be set.
In order to expedite pickup, residents in the three
counties who live on state-maintained roads are asked to place debris along the
side of the roadway as soon as possible. Do not place debris in travel lanes or
in areas where it will block drainage or reduce visibility for motorists and
pedestrians.
Please keep the following in mind while collecting debris
for removal:
- Check your homeowners insurance as often debris cleanup is covered by insurance and arrangements for its collection would be handled by the insurance company;
- NCDOT will only collect vegetation debris such as trees and limbs; and
- Property owners are asked to cut storm-related vegetation debris into five- or six-foot pieces, if possible.
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