CHARLOTTE, N.C. — So far this year, 1.5 million pounds of litter and road debris has been picked up along the streets of Mecklenburg County. That's more than by this time last year.
A viewer asked us about trash along I-485, on the south side. The stretch he's talking about is a construction zone as new express lanes are going in.
It was a lengthy email from viewer Douglas S. questioning why trash continues to pile up along I-485 near the I-77 interchange around Pineville. That stretch of road is a construction zone that's been active since 2019 as workers add more express lanes.
THE QUESTION:
Are contractors required to maintain a clean work site? And who is in charge of picking up the litter?
SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
Yes, contractors are required to maintain a clean worksite and pick up litter. It will be NCDOT'S responsibility after the project is complete.
WHAT WE FOUND:
"When we are dealing with a high-profile project or active construction project, it is the contractor's responsibility to maintain that area," Jen Thompson with NCDOT said.
Thompson tells WCNC that contractors maintain that stretch of road until the project is over.
"We still have a couple of years of construction left so this is going to be their responsibility while it's still active," Thompson said.
She tells WCNC when there is construction on the highways, it's easy for trash to pile up, especially with barriers in place to protect crew members. However, after this viewer's questions and complaints, Thompson said they have talked with the contractor and figured out a solution.
"The contractor has been working on getting more equipment accessible to what has been moved up, so what they are planning to do is ramp up the activity initially to get the clean up to a more satisfactory level, more manageable level," Thompson said.
They also plan to have a crew from another subcontractor sweep the entire stretch of the project on a monthly basis.
"We hear what this particular viewer has said. We are working in coordination with this contractor to make sure this area is as cleaned up as it can," Thompson said.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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