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Corpus Christi man urges community to keep new Harbor Bridge clean

David Perez walks the bridge several times a week and picks up trash along the way. Now, he’s urging the public to take more pride in the bridge.
Harbor Bridge trash
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EDITOR'S NOTE:

On Friday, August 8, TXDOT reached out to KRIS 6 News and sent a photo of a trash can installed at the entrance to the Harbor Bridge path. According to Public Information Officer Rickey Dailey, it was installed Thursday afternoon.

Trash can installed near new Harbor Bridge path
Following our original report, TXDOT sent this photo to KRIS 6, showing the installation of a trash can near the new Harbor Bridge pathway.

ORIGINAL STORY:
A little less than two months after the new Harbor Bridge opened to the public, some neighbors tell KRIS 6 News trash is already becoming a problem.

Neighbor, David Perez tells Neighborhood News Reporter, Alexis Scott, he walks or jogs the bridge several times a week. But he’s not just working out, he's also picking up trash that he sees.

“There’s like water bottles over here,” Perez said during a walk with Scott, Thursday morning. “Cigarette butts, water bottle caps, straws. Just random trash.”

Perez said the amount of debris left behind is frustrating, especially for a place that carries so much meaning for the city.

“You have to purposely throw it down to litter,” Perez said. “Why not just keep it in your hand and deposit it where it’s supposed to be? It just blows my mind.”

Along with asking community members to take pride in keeping the iconic landmark clean, Perez is also urging officials to add trash cans at each end of the bridge.

“I really love the bridge,” Perez said. “That’s why I take it personally to help take care of it. We all watched it being built.”

Other neighbors walking the bridge said they’ve noticed the same thing.

“We would see water bottles and Gatorade bottles laying around,” Maria Harris, said.

Katy Valdez, another community member, agreed with that message.

“We can maybe clean our community and keep the new bridge nice and new for a long time," Valdez added.

For now, Perez is continuing his personal cleanup mission and hopes others will think twice before littering.

KRIS 6 News reached out to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to ask if adding trash cans is being considered. TxDOT's spokesperson sent the following statement to our newsroom:

"To maintain the safety and cleanliness of the Harbor Bridge for all residents and visitors, a trash can will be placed at the entrance to the shared used path by the end of Thursday.

Also, Flatiron/Dragados, the developer of the Harbor Bridge, is conducting regular cleaning sweeps on the bridge every Monday and Thursday morning. During this morning’s sweep, crews collected a discarded cup and some animal waste.

In addition to these routine cleanings, Flatiron and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) are actively collaborating with the city of Corpus Christi to explore effective strategies for enforcing city ordinances and discouraging improper activities on the bridge’s shared use path."
Rickey Dailey- TxDOT Spokesperson

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