New Orange target for full Irma cleanup set

Thanksgiving is the new target date for Orange County to finish picking up trees, limbs and other storm debris knocked down by Hurricane Irma.

More than half the estimated 1.3 million cubic yards left behind by the Sept. 11 hurricane in unincorporated Orange County is still on the ground.

Some smaller Central Florida communities are finished, including Altamonte Springs, Edgewood and Winter Garden. Others, including Apopka, are getting close to wrapping up, although they are planning to make a second pass through hard-hit neighborhoods.

Orlando has picked up an estimated 185,000 cubic yards, about 61 percent of its estimated 300,000 cubic yards, city spokeswoman Cassandra Lafser said.

Like many Florida counties, Orange’s progress lagged because its primary debris-removal contractors couldn’t find properly equipped subcontractors.

Despite the chore ahead, Frank Yokiel, project manager for Orange County Public Works, sounded upbeat Friday when he discussed the clean-up progress.

“We’re picking up steam,” he said, noting that the county’s efforts have gotten a recent boost from new debris-removal crews. “We’re getting it done.”

Orange residents can see the status of pick up in their neighborhood by going to www.ocfl.net/ debrismap and plugging in their addresses.

Lake County also created a progress map on the public works page of its website, lakecounty fl.gov. The county also is collecting storm debris in Clermont, Howeyin-the-Hills, Minneola and Umatilla.

It also has six “convenience” drop-off centers, including the Central Landfill Facility at 13130 County Landfill Road, Tavares. Hours vary. The county is about 55 percent finished, having collected 165,000 cubic yards through Friday morning.

Yokiel said Orange County expects to be done no later than Dec. 1, though Thanksgiving is its target date.

Orange County also announced it will close four of the 11 locations where citizens could bring debris themselves.

“We’re closing ones that aren’t seeing a lot of activity,” Yokiel said.

The sites closing are Fort Christmas Historical Park, 1300 Fort Christmas Road in east Orange; Meadow Woods at 1751 Rhode Island Woods Circle, south of Orlando International Airport; West Beach Park, 9227 Winter Garden Vineland Road near Windermere; and 3500 Golden Gem Road near Zellwood.

They will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Sunday.

More than 16,600 people have lugged limbs, leaves and other foliage totaling 40,000 cubic yards to the no-fee sites since they opened last month.

Public Works Director Mark Massaro estimated citizens have saved the county about $1 million by collecting and hauling debris to the drop-off sites themselves.

“For citizens, the value of not seeing debris on their lawn is priceless,” he said.