Beautification in OKC

[Celebrator]

I agree with the common area tree planting throughout the city (including medians, Highway right-of-ways, parks, etc However (and I've noticed this several times), once trees and shrubs are planted, there's no one maintaining them, I personally would rather see bare, open land, then land covered with dead trees!

And that is the key. I know it is in the city code to have landscaping, but I feel as though only a small percentage actually take care of the landscaping (trees especially) after they are planted. Around here one MUST use a GatorBag for two years (filling weekly) or have irrigation watering a new tree to enable it to establish and survive. There is just not enough regular rainfall to plant it and forget it--you just can't around here. So that is the big problem. Once the trees are planted according to code, then they are left to fend for themselves which more times than not means death. This is a MAJOR pet peeve of mine.

[mugofbeer]

How were the trees in the medians at l35 and Turner Turnpike treated? That has been very successful.

[catch22]

I don’t know why xeriscaping/rock gardens havnt been used for right of way beautification. It requires very very little upkeep and no watering. No mowing. Just some weed treatment every so often.

[Anonymous.]

I wish palm trees could grow here, xeriscaping looks so good with a mix of palms and cacti.

[MagzOK]

How were the trees in the medians at l35 and Turner Turnpike treated? That has been very successful.

I am led to believe those trees are treated and maintained privately, or possibly sponsered by the Kirkpatrick family since there's a wooden Kirkpatrick tree farm sign or something like that posted there.

[Jake]

Don’t know if this is the correct thread for this but has anyone else noticed the tremendous amount of trash strewn along the roadways throughout the city? I get it’s windy, but it it just seems like a massive amount of garbage is basically everywhere, especially along major arterial roadways. It’s gross and embarrassing.

Don’t know who or what is in charge of this or if anything can truly be done about it from a city level but it’s really sad to see.

[Laramie]

Yes Jake, it's noticeable. It starts in the parking lots of large stores and strips malls--people who don't give a hoot--think they are
so clean, so they dump their trash from their vehicles into the parking lots and streets. Our high winds this time of year helps spread what people don't secure.

I keep plastic bags in my car to put trash until I can discard it once I arrive at my destination.

Let's all take pride in our city, take care of your personal trash--because we see many of the parking lots being cleaned prior to opening. We can all help.

You're correct Jake, it's gross and embarrassing.

[Bellaboo]

I think what happens is they pick up the trash before mowing is done.

When is the last time they mowed ?

[Celebrator]

I don't know, when the mow they seem to just shred the trash and spread it out in pieces as a result. I have always thought "Why don't they do a quick litter clean-up before they start mowing to prevent just shredding into pieces.

Every year about this time--near the end of winter and early spring--I really notice the build up of litter, too! It's bad right now. Pretty much everywhere--from the interstates to the 'burbs--heck even in my own subdivision (I pick up trash on my nightly walk all the time). This is our windiest time of year, so there's that factor, too. Without the regular landscape work going on on private and public property this time of year and just less people being out due to the season, it builds up along fence lines, in medians, etc. As I have said here before, write emails! I have been writing the City of Edmond, the City of OKC, and ODOT recently about just this problem. The more people write, the more they might be inclined to take action. During the warmer months, litter crews on the interstates do a pick up about every couple of months along all stretches in the metro, is what I observe.

[ChrisHayes]

I hate seeing trash all over the place. Unfortunately, that's just about anywhere because a lot of people have no common sense or decency.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

For those old enough to remember this anti-littering campaign, serendipitous appearance in the news this week as the campaign is retired.https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...n-ad-rcna72398

[HangryHippo]

Things are looking particularly sh*tty lately. Noticed it over the last few weeks.

[progressiveboy]

It is kinda ironic that OKC Mayor David Holt always gets compliments from outside visitors to the city commenting on how clean the city is from an outsider's perspectives view. See below from Chat he had with Steve Lackmeyer. I was .in OKC 2 weeks ago and saw tons of litter and trash blowing everywhere. Sad how lazy people are and have absolute no pride in the city.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/ok...er/ar-AA17zC0l

[Plutonic Panda]

Trash is in every city. It doesn’t bother me much. It’s whatever. City needs to clean up not rely on people to not litter or have ridiculous fines for those that do.

[Celebrator]

Trash is in every city. It doesn’t bother me much. It’s whatever. City needs to clean up not rely on people to not litter or have ridiculous fines for those that do.

This is true. We are all bothered by what we see in our hometown, but because it bothers me so much I specifically look for it in other cities and we certainly are not alone! St. Louis, Chicago, Portland, and Boston had plenty of litter too. Knoxville and Ft. Worth were two cities that were pretty clean! The cleanest place I visit on an annual visit is New Hampshire, but they have like 9 people and a moose, so you know...

[Plutonic Panda]

I volunteer to clean litter around Mulholland and many valley roads. It doesn’t matter what you do as soon as you clean it is as dirty the next day. Someone has to do it though! I don’t litter myself(I used to) but I don’t get mad at anyone who does anymore unless it’s in a national/state park/forest etc.

[Anonymous.]

What a bizarre take for someone claiming to volunteer and clean up litter. I literally have never seen someone advocate for getting rid of littering fines. The only scenario I can think of is if someone lowered their window while driving and a piece of trash accidentally flew out. That to me, is obviously not the same as someone who is driving around with loose trash in a truckbed or someone purposely tossing items out of a window.

PluPan, you are easily the most interesting person on this board.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^ ideally people wouldn’t do it. What I mean is that I clean up litter so often there is no way you are going to stop people littering. So many people do it. It’s unreal. I do it on Mulholland because that’s my all time favorite road so I like to do what I can to keep it clean. I’ve seen police litter.

The fine issue is more about making sure the wrong people who are low income/homeless aren’t targeted keeping or putting them in a cycle they can’t get out of. $100 makes sense. $1000 doesn’t.

[Bellaboo]

Many times I've seen trash blow out of a pickup bed driving down a highway. People need to be more responsible.

[catch22]

I would be willing to bet that the largest percentage of litter is from:

1) trash cans that blow over/overstuffed trash bins at gas stations
2) dumpsters that do not have lids that are closed / construction dumpsters
3) blown out of landfills/blown out of trash bins as they are being dumped into trucks

I feel pretty confidant that individual littering amounts to a very small percentage of the actual amount of free trash roaming around.

[mugofbeer]

I don't think OKC has this problem as much as other cities but the amount of trash produced by homeless encampments and people living in RV's behind warehouses is absolutely appalling. If you take the A Line train from Denver International into downtown Denver you get a very good indication of what I mean.

[Celebrator]

Many times I've seen trash blow out of a pickup bed driving down a highway. People need to be more responsible.

^100% That is pure laziness. "Oh I'll just toss my Sonic bag back here after lunch and...poof...by the time I get home tonight, trash is gone! How convenient!"

[Celebrator]

I would be willing to bet that the largest percentage of litter is from:

1) trash cans that blow over/overstuffed trash bins at gas stations
2) dumpsters that do not have lids that are closed / construction dumpsters
3) blown out of landfills/blown out of trash bins as they are being dumped into trucks

I feel pretty confidant that individual littering amounts to a very small percentage of the actual amount of free trash roaming around.

^Also agree with this.

[Celebrator]

I don't think OKC has this problem as much as other cities but the amount of trash produced by homeless encampments and people living in RV's behind warehouses is absolutely appalling. If you take the A Line train from Denver International into downtown Denver you get a very good indication of what I mean.

Yes! I was just thinking about this driving around last night in relation to this thread. Areas with a large homeless population have far more litter, too. Take a look at some of the more popular panhandling corners in the city (NW Expy/Lk. Hef. Pkwy, Penn/Memorial) and you see trash left behind ALL THE TIME. It is a major contributor where there is a large homeless presence to be sure.

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

Yes! I was just thinking about this driving around last night in relation to this thread. Areas with a large homeless population have far more litter, too. Take a look at some of the more popular panhandling corners in the city (NW Expy/Lk. Hef. Pkwy, Penn/Memorial) and you see trash left behind ALL THE TIME. It is a major contributor where there is a large homeless presence to be sure.

Western Ave and Reno under OKC Blvd area is bad too, but a group does go out couple times a week to pick it up.