The City of Fort Worth is looking to step up its litter control efforts in the upcoming year as officials seek to capitalize on the successes of its current program.
Fort Worth City officials and citizens have already enacted measures to clean their city streets. A total of 150 volunteers from the Fort Worth Climate Safe Neighborhood Coalition gathered to clean up one mile of roadway and two miles of waterway at Glenwood Park in October, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Other cleanup events held throughout 2023 have included the Neighborhood Litter Stomp in October and the Cowtown Great American Cleanup in March, each made possible by Keep Fort Worth Beautiful, according to the city.
Fort Worth announced that it had collected 19.9 million pounds of trash, far surpassing its goal of 11.5 million. Other recorded accomplishments include cleaning up 7,842 illegal dumpsites and 742 illegal campsites, installing a litter control device in Lake Como, and more.
“Litter control is everyone’s responsibility, and our staff are thrilled to help lead by example as we work with partners, our residents and visitors to create and maintain a clean, safe and green Fort Worth,” said Oneil Johnson, environmental services superintendent and overseer of litter control operations, according to the city’s news release.
“We hope everyone can do their part to stop litter by controlling litter sources, to pick it up and to report it — join us on this journey to promote our community,” Johnson added.
In 2024, Fort Worth hopes to collect 20 million pounds of litter through its programs. To accomplish this goal, the city will be rolling out 12 new street sweepers by spring and begin a new pilot program with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) that aims to “increase litter abatement” at highway sections I-35W from downtown to I-20 and I-30 from downtown west to Loop 820.
These initiatives will support the city’s budget theme: “So Safe, So Clean, So Green.”
“By increasing the frequency of litter pickup, the pilot program seeks to create a noticeable impact along major highways,” read the release from the city. “In addition, staff are exploring potential partnerships with neighboring entities such as DFW Airport, North Texas Tollway Authority and City of Arlington to increase levels of service.”
Citizens are encouraged to do their part by joining cleanup efforts and reporting litter to the City Call Center.
Several volunteer initiatives in Dallas have also aimed to clean up the city, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. For example, the Metroplex Civic & Business Association recently launched a new “Adopt-A-Block” cleanup program to encourage local companies to take part in cleaning up Dallas.
These efforts on the part of local private businesses and nonprofits are made necessary by an apparent lack of action by the Dallas City Council. A City satisfaction survey found Dallasites largely believe the local government does a “poor” job of maintaining cleanliness in regards to Dallas’ streets.
