TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Neighbors were seen cleaning up Belvedere Ave. in Midtown while the Midway Wash flowed through the street Wednesday. The monsoon rains flooded the wash for the first time this season. In addition to the flooding, issues worsened when large debris and trash filled the wash last year.
"We don’t want it to be filled with trash," said Mike Brenning, a Midtown resident, when asked why he asked his son to clean the trash outside.
"When the storm leaves trash behind, it either goes in the drain or sticks in the drain, or somebody comes by and cleans it up.”
Earlier this year, the City of Tucson started cleaning the area on a quarterly basis, working to mitigate the impacts when it floods. The Tucson Police Department also cleans the area every month.
Heather Smith with Zayna Mediterranean Restaurant hoped the area had been cleaner before the monsoon.
"I think we need to have some more communication before those big rains hit us," said Smith.
The restaurant is directly impacted not only by the flooding, but also by debris and trash. She says it's significantly improved since last year.
"We did notice less debris, as in branches and bushes, things that really clogged up the wash last year that brought a lot of concern,” she said.
A TPD community service officer told KGUN 9 the last time the wash was cleaned out was July 3. Officers also cleaned Belvedere Ave. this morning.
While she appreciates the efforts to keep the area clean, she noted the trash is still a real issue.
“Me and a few other employees actually cleaned up the parking lot yesterday because we had a lot of trash, but it’s also a safety hazard that we need to be concerned about.”
She says there are conversations about long-term solutions, but nothing is set in stone.
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Reyna Preciado is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2022 after graduating Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Reyna by emailing reyna.preciado@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, or Twitter.
