It’s Labor Day, but traffic is streaming into the Lyon-Chase County Transfer Station after parts of the KVOE listening area were battered by thunderstorms early Friday.
City leaders decided to open up the facility on the holiday after seeing high demand beginning hours after the storms cleared the area. Nearly 1,500 trips in total were made Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with over 375 tons of tree debris collected — more than an average month, according to Solid Waste Supervisor Keith Senn.
Storms brought measured winds as high as 93 mph and estimated wind gusts up to 110 mph, so residents who spent some of their holiday at the Transfer Station tell KVOE News they were grateful for the decision to open up the landfill. On the list was former city commissioner Julie Johnson, who initially couldn’t get out of her driveway because of the tree damage.
Traffic increased but was light through the morning. Homes, businesses, Emporia State University, schools and even non-profits suffered damage early Friday. Rescue Mission and Abundant Harvest Director Lee Alderman says he was alerted to the tree damage after sunrise.
The tentative plan is to close the Transfer Station at 5 pm, but Senn tells KVOE News the facility will be open until lines diminish — which could be as late as 6 pm. There are currently no announced plans to have special hours Tuesday, so expect normal hours of 8 am to 5 pm. Residents are also told to be patient if long lines develop as they have since Friday. Lines have gone from the landfill as far east as Prairie Street on several occasions Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Residents offloading tree and limb debris Monday may also notice smoke from the brush pile. A brush fire developed over a week ago, taking that pile down to the ground before the weekend activity built it back up. The fire is trying to redevelop. Staff will likely put dirt on it to limit the spread if needed.
Questions persist about special tree or limb pickup in town. City Manager Mark McAnarney says the city will discuss that option in more detail after the holiday.
We’ll keep you updated on KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media.
Click here for Sunday’s preview of the special Transfer Station hours.
Click here for prior KVOE News coverage of the Friday storms and their aftermath.
Transfer Station tree debris collection statistics
Friday: 418 visits, 121.64 tons
Saturday: 647 visits, 152.29 tons
Sunday: 413 visits, 105.55 tons
Three-day total: 1,478 visits, 379.48 tons
