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Cleaning up litter on Hwy. 32

Motorists driving on Highway 32 on the west edge of Park Hills may have noticed an accumulation of trash lining the center and side grassy areas over the past year or so. The Park Hills Street Department, under the initiative of Public Works Director Don Akers, has been busy cleaning up the trash this week.

They are taking an opportunity to finally clear up the trash on a stretch that ends at the city limit sign.

“It’s a shame that we can’t go any further,” Akers said of having to stop at the city limits.

The short winter grass makes it easier to pick up trash along the roadway — a project that hadn’t been done for two years.

Akers expressed some concern that the Missouri Department of Transportation, or MoDOT, is supposed to clean the road once a year if possible.

“We’d like to do it more than once a year, though,” Akers said.

The project requires four workers to pair off and spend the day filling up large trash bags. The bags are picked up at the end of the day. First they were going to clean the median, then clean the ditches.

“Even if the sides are bad, most people notice the center more,” Akers said.

There are even potential economic costs to be had from a neglected road.

“When business owners or tourists drive by and they see the trash they may decide to go somewhere else,” Akers said.

Most importantly, he emphasized, “It just looks better.”

The Park Hills Street Department takes an opportunity to clean up Highway 32. Pictured is Cody Govreau.

The Park Hills Street Department takes an opportunity to clean up Highway 32. Pictured is Cody Govreau.

Matthew Morey is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3617, or at mmorey@dailyjournalonline.com.

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