All those mountains of sodden household goods and downed tree limbs from our recent burst of hurricanes has been finally cleaned up — at least in Tampa. The city says it has finished sweeping street curbs of the debris.
More than 1.3 million cubic yards of debris have been removed from the city's streets. City officials said this could fill the downtown office tower known as the "Beer Can Building" four times.
It has taken more than 450 contracted haulers to clear all that from curbs and deposit it at the McKay Bay Transfer Station, where it is weighed and recorded by FEMA for reimbursement from the federal government. City officials say they're on track to meet FEMA's deadline of Jan. 11.
They estimate city employees and contractors have worked more than 118,000 hours since Hurricanes Helene and Milton tore through the region.
“Completing our curbside debris removal ahead of schedule is no small feat, and it highlights the dedication and hard work of our city staff, who’ve worked seven days a week since Hurricane Helene to return our community to normal,” said Mayor Jane Castor. “This historic hurricane season tested us, but our solid waste workers and contractors stepped up in extraordinary ways.”
You can get an update on their hurricane removal by clicking on this map:
Residents may now haul remaining debris to the McKay Bay Transfer Station at no charge. To check-in, head to the McKay Bay Scale House, located at 114 S 34th St. Residents can also schedule a special pickup for a fee by calling the City of Tampa Solid Waste Customer Service Center at (813) 348-8811.
