Comments on: WSDOT responds to complaints about litter along area freeways, highways

By: L Scott

L Scott — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 18:53:28 +0000

Youth offenders used to do community service by picking up trash along roadways. Then adults on supervised work crews. Is this no longer being done? These areas look like a third world country. Embarrassing to show visitors this beautiful area when the trash is so distracting.

By: Janey

Janey — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 15:32:01 +0000

The highways are deplorable- and an embarrassment. The amount of litter from the homeless on the highways, at city intersections where they panhandle, and underpass is deplorable. It seems absurd, but how about pay them a minimal amount when they fill up a bag with their trash. They won’t have to panhandle and would keep their ‘camp’ clean.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 22:26:30 +0000

The Adopt a Highway is a great program and quite successful when you have committed organizations. In Oregon Hwy 26 to Government Camp and Hwy 35 to Mt Hood Meadows are great examples.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 22:21:54 +0000

In reply to Susan. We have more litter and vandelism today than i've ever seen. People toss things out of their windows, vehicles don't secure loads, kids throw fast food things on the ground all the time, deface benches in the parks and on and on. The state does a good job with what they have to work with so I'm not sure what you are talking about.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 17:35:19 +0000

ahhh, yes…. just another example of how Wash. State (and its cities) are more concerned with gobbling up our tax dollars for never-ending new projects, but not taking care of existing infrastructure.

I’d have no problem whatsoever with stopping all new projects for 1-5 years, with all those monies directed toward maintenance of existing infrastructure. And, yes, I’m thinking of both State and local projects.

TAKE CARE OF WHAT YOU GOT BEFORE YOU ADD MORE TO THE TO-DO LIST.

By: Florence Faraone

Florence Faraone — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 17:05:10 +0000

When we moved here seven years ago, the clean, graffiti-free public spaces was a big factor in our decision. I hope that returning to this almost litter-free community will not be stuck in the proverbial “red-tape, their job, not my job” pit.

By: Bob Koski

Bob Koski — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 14:14:19 +0000

A good place to start would be a total ban on illicit squatting and camping on every off-ramp. Mill Plain and 205 is a constant filthy mess because nothing prevents the same vagrants from coming right back in with their stolen shopping carts full of garbage, as soon as the latest WSDOT cleanup crew departs.

Stop playing musical chairs with vagrants, and either force them into the shelter with openings, like the City’s “Safe Rest Villages”, or put them in jail for repeated trespassing. Perhaps 10 days in the cooler will convince them to utilize the “services” they are repeatedly allowed to refuse.

The bottom line here is what we are doing is not working. “Housing First” has been a disaster for years, and its long past time we did something else.