WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Residents in a West Allis neighborhood are raising safety concerns about massive frozen leaf piles that have taken over their streets after recent snowfall and freezing temperatures.
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Janice, who lives near 88th and Montana, said she woke up to find what she calls a "leaf monster" in front of her house.
"I woke up in the morning, and I was like, holy cow, we have a trash heap monster in front of our house, a leaf monster," Janice said.
The leaf piles, some reaching nearly six feet tall, have become frozen solid after snow covered them and temperatures dropped below freezing.
"Now with this, that's not okay. It's a huge safety hazard," Janice said.
Yvonne Bonds, whose grandchildren live in the area, shares similar concerns about the frozen piles blocking streets and sidewalks.
"There's a school right over there," Bonds said.
"So you're concerned about people waiting for the bus," Reporter Jenna Rae asked.
"Waiting for a bus or walking, the kids that may go to that school," Bonds responded.
Janice said city crews came through the neighborhood earlier this week to organize the leaves, but did not pick them up before the weather turned.
"Yesterday or the day before, they came through, and they were like organizing the leaves," Janice said.
Both residents believe the city should have removed the leaves before the freezing weather hit.
"It should've been handled better, absolutely, there's no doubt," Janice said.
No one from West Allis would go on camera Thursday. Instead, we were sent the following statement:
"Public Works crews have started curbline cuts to remove snow, ice, and leaves as of Dec. 2. Crews began in the areas where they left off before the holiday and the snowstorm and will work through the entire City, ending at the east end. Leaf collection is contingent on snow operations and freezing temperatures. In the evenings, the third-shift crew will continue to push leaves into piles for the first shift to collect. Equipment used for leaf collection is also used for plowing and salting. Converting equipment back to plowing/salting can slow the collection process. Progress can be tracked on the leaf pickup map online [arcg.is].
While our drivers do their best to avoid leaf piles, there is no guarantee the piles will be seen (especially at night) or avoidable. In some instances, drivers weigh the options of either leaving six feet of snow in the street vs. hitting leaf piles. Roads need to be made wide enough and safe enough to navigate in each direction. Crews do their best to avoid piles as much as they can, and will continue to clear the curb area of remaining snow and leaves.
We appreciate everyone’s patience and are thankful for the hard work and dedication of our Public Works crews as they work to keep our streets safe and clean for everyone."
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