Philadelphia Streets Department continues to clean up mud, debris left behind from remnants of Ida
PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Streets Department is working to rid the city of mud and debris left behind by the remnants of Hurricane Ida over a week after the storm.
A large street sprayer, tractor and sweeper formed a brigade of heavy equipment pressed into service Friday along Locust Street between 24th and 25th streets.
The Schuylkill River jumped its banks last week rising to five feet along the base of Locust, flooding cars on the street and in some parking lots.
Deputy Streets Department Commissioner Richard Montanez, who was on hand to watch the cleanup said the work was a little slow because we have to move all the vehicles.
"There’s a lot of flooded vehicles still in the road, which means the owners can’t move them so we relocate them and put them back," Montanez said.
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The popular Schuylkill River Park was submerged in water last week as was the trail heavily used by bikers, runners and walkers. In Friday’s pleasant, late summer weather the trail and park was once again a buzz of activity.
Montanez reports the effort isn’t cheap, while the city says it hasn’t tallied a total cost for the cleanup, but equipment rental for Friday was running at $20,000 every eight hours. The city believes it’s nearing the end of the cleanup but says residents should call 3-1-1 if there are areas still in need of a good sweep.
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