Drivers have enjoyed a cleaner pass through Gorst in the past couple weeks after 2,200 pounds of litter were removed in an April 21 cleanup along Highway 3.

Southbound traffic was reduced to one lane for much of the day while a 15-person crew cleaned up litter from the Highway 304 overpass or Charleston Boulevard to the railroad overpass. Among the items found were a variety of plastics, beer cans, liquor bottles and cigarette butts. The crew also found other bags of garbage and tire remains.

Even more trash lay underneath the ground. “The mowers, when they went through, unearthed some litter that was not visible initially. It just goes to show just how dirty the roadside had become,” said Caitlin Newman, program supervisor for Kitsap County’s solid waste division.

County officials are urging drivers to do their part in keeping the roadways clean. Newman emphasized the importance of securing vehicle loads. “So much litter comes from loads that are not properly tied down. Residents can help by transporting their loads with proper care, even in those short-distance trips.”

The cleanup was done by the state Department of Transportation, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office and the solid waste division after several months of advocacy and coordination.

“My understanding is cost was the biggest barrier” to doing the work, Newman said. “A lot of negotiation went unto whether it could be paid, and fortunately, WSDOT said it could.”