After the storms: Local governments now working to clear tree debris from sides of roads

Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat

With many residents driving by tall piles of tree trunks and limbs in the wake of the May 10 storms, the question now is: When will the woodsy refuse be taken away?

The answer is: It depends where you live, but regardless, there's no hard and fast date for any one location.

"Based on FEMA damage estimates, it's anticipated that the debris collected from the May 10 tornadoes will surpass hurricanes Hermine, Michael and Irma combined," city spokesperson Alison Faris said in an email. "The City has doubled its resources with over 100 units of equipment working to collect storm debris."

More than a week after the May 10 storms and tornadoes, tree trunks, limbs and other detritus is piled on Tallahassee and Leon County roadsides, 7-8 feet high in some places, as seen here in the Indianhead neighborhood, Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
More than a week after the May 10 storms and tornadoes, tree trunks, limbs and other detritus is piled on Tallahassee and Leon County roadsides, 7-8 feet high in some places, as seen here in the Indianhead neighborhood, Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

Removal operations began last week and will continue until completed, she added. As of Tuesday, 80,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris, or about 2,000 city truck loads, have been picked up and taken away "for agricultural use."

"Hardest hit areas have been prioritized, including within the rights-of-way," Faris said. "Residential storm debris removal is occurring in coordination with customers' normal garbage/recycling schedule. Due to the high volume, all storm-related debris should be placed at the curb as soon as possible.

"Regular size limits for debris collection are temporarily lifted as part of storm recovery. Larger piles, such as those with tree trunks or big limbs, require specialized, heavy-duty equipment. This means residents will likely see more than one crew servicing an area, picking up different debris piles based on size and content."

She said if customers have questions or need additional information, they can call (850) 891-4968 or use DigiTally, the city’s mobile services app.

More than a week after the May 10 storms and tornadoes, tree trunks, limbs and other detritus is piled on Tallahassee and Leon County roadsides, 7-8 feet high in some places, as seen here in the Indianhead neighborhood, Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
More than a week after the May 10 storms and tornadoes, tree trunks, limbs and other detritus is piled on Tallahassee and Leon County roadsides, 7-8 feet high in some places, as seen here in the Indianhead neighborhood, Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

County also working hardest hit areas first

Matt Cavell, Leon County's chief spokesperson, says the capital county government is working in the hardest hit areas first. This includes Woodville, Apalachee Parkway near Apalachee Regional Park and from Aenon Church Road and W. Tennessee Street to the county line.

The estimated time to clear out these areas is around two weeks. Cavell says they are currently four days into the process and so far have 22 units, including shredders and dump trucks, out in the community. Once those areas are cleared, they will move on to other areas.

Cavell says in comparison to Hurricane Idalia, after which the county collected 22,000 cubic yards of debris, it already has collected 45,000 cubic yards of debris from the recent storms and twisters. To put it in perspective, that's the equivalent of about 900 dump trucks full of downed trees.

More than a week after the May 10 storms and tornadoes, tree trunks, limbs and other detritus is piled on Tallahassee and Leon County roadsides, 7-8 feet high in some places, as seen here in the Indianhead neighborhood, Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
More than a week after the May 10 storms and tornadoes, tree trunks, limbs and other detritus is piled on Tallahassee and Leon County roadsides, 7-8 feet high in some places, as seen here in the Indianhead neighborhood, Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

What's collected is chipped and hauled to the Phipps property in town for agricultural use, he added.

Based off past hurricane removal, the total time for collection involving two passes throughout the whole county. That takes at least a month, two weeks for each pass.

He asks that residents be patient. They can call Leon County Public Works at 850-606-1500 and give their address for pick-up.

Arianna Otero is the City Solutions Reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com or on Twitter/X: @ari_v_otero.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee, Leon County start clearing tree debris from roadsides

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