COLUMBUS, Ohio — State Route 104 is getting trashed.
Haulers big and small who don’t secure their yard and construction waste are letting it fly on the roads, leaving a trail of litter miles long.
“It's highly littered. It's one of the worst in the city,” said Tim Swauger, refuse administrator for the city of Columbus.
Columbus Division of Police special duty officers are now watching and going after those who don’t have their loads secured.
It started last June.
Statistics show from June of last year to November, police made 221 traffic stops for unsecured loads. Two-hundred and twelve drivers were cited and 142 were given warnings.
In the first three months of this year, 142 drivers were stopped and only 90 were given citations with 118 given warnings, according to police.
“Typical fines are $155 for not putting a $5 strap across your equipment,” Columbus police officer Robert Barrett said.
The city says state Route 104 gets a lot of trash because it provides a direct route to the county landfill.
SWACO who runs the landfill is also getting involved by turning away haulers who don’t have a secured load. Haulers are offered to purchase a tarp. The money from the proceeds helps fund this pilot program along with funds from the city.
Swauger said he came up with the idea of targeting haulers as a way to not only clean up the area but also to protect the driving public from getting hit by flying mattresses or other debris.
“We just don't have the time or money to clean up everyone's mess all day long,” he said.