Cape public works ready to start annual leaf pickup

The Cape Girardeau Public Works Department will begin its annual leaf collection program Monday, although the bulk of the work will be done by zones in November and December.

During the past fiscal year, the city hauled away 778 tons of leaves piled along the streets, solid-waste supervisor Mike Tripp said. About 5,000 households, or about 50 percent of the city, were served by the leaf-collection program during the past year.

The leaves are stored on city-owned land on Cape Girardeau’s south side. Once a year, the city hires a private company to grind the leaves and brush that have been stockpiled. Some of the resulting mulch is piled at Arena Park and made available to the public free of charge. The contracted firm hauls off the rest of the mulched material, Tripp said.

The leaf-pickup program, organized in three phases, runs through the end of March, Tripp said.

During the first phase, throughout October, the city’s automated leaf truck travels throughout the city picking up piles of leaves.

“We look for leaves in the streets and on curbs,” Tripp said.

The first phase also allows the city to check the equipment each year and ensure everything is working correctly.

The heavy lifting occurs in the second phase, which begins Nov. 1 and ends mid-December, weather permitting.

“Basically, we are using the same schedule as last year,” he said.

The automated truck, operated solely by a driver, will vacuum up leaves on a seven-zone schedule outlined on the city’s website, www.cityofcapegirardeau.org. The information also is in a brochure the city mailed to households.

In addition to the automated vehicle, the city also will use a dump truck with a leaf machine for dead-end streets and roadways the larger vehicle cannot navigate, Tripp said. The latter equipment will be staffed by a three-person crew.

Piles of leaves are collected once at each participating residence during the second phase. Residents should rake their leaves to the curb before collection begins in their zone, Tripp said.

Leaves should be piled no more than three feet from the street or between the sidewalk and street. Leaves should not be piled in the street or parking areas or around parked cars, fire hydrants, street signs and mailboxes, he said.

Wet weather can delay the leaf-collection schedule, Tripp said.

The zoned schedule is slated to be completed by Dec. 17 if there are no weather delays.

“We do have an aggressive schedule,” he said.

Crews will work on weekends, if necessary, to get the job done, he said.

The third and final phase is scheduled to commence Dec. 19 and end March 31. During that time, the city’s automated vacuum truck will travel throughout the city on unscheduled routes and may stop at a residence more than once if there are leaves to be picked up, Tripp said.

Leaves will not be collected if the piles contain other items such as garden material, small twigs or limbs. Tripp said limbs in particular can damage the vacuum equipment.

Cape Girardeau residents who don’t want to wait on the city to dispose of leaves can drop them off at the recycling center at 2007 Southern Expressway from Oct. 3 through the end of March.

Tripp cautioned the schedule doesn’t always fit with Mother Nature.

“People have to realize that we do not control when the leaves fall,” he said.

A.J. Hendershott, Southeast region outreach and education supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation, said trees typically will shed their leaves in October and November.

“Some species lose their leaves earlier than others. Right now, the ash and elm are beginning to lose their leaves. Maples and oaks will begin to drop leaves later in the season,” he said.

“Weather patterns, such as storms or cold fronts, may move the exact timing by a week or so,” Hendershott said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

2007 Southern Expressway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.