Alachua County and the city of Gainesville continue to collect storm debris left by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The county sent a press release out on Tuesday and the city of Gainesville sent one on Wednesday informing residents about the progress on storm debris removal and the projected time of completion.

The county said, “Recent delays in debris pickup have been due to two major factors: Hurricane Milton’s additional impact on coastal counties and agreements by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and other local governments to increase payments to debris removal contractors.”

Contractors are prioritizing areas offering higher rates, the county said, which has left Alachua County and other counties short-staffed as contractors move to more heavily affected regions.

The Alachua County Commission responded by recently authorizing the per-cubic-yard rate paid by FDOT and regional governments. The county’s debris removal contractor has committed to stepping up the clean-up process by hiring subcontractors at higher rates with an initial pass completed in the area by Nov. 22. The release added that the county cannot guarantee an exact completion date.

The city of Gainesville said that the collection of yard debris left by the two storms is on schedule and the remaining storm wase pickup is expected to be complete before Thanksgiving.

The city’s release stated crews are working seven days a week during the daylight hours to load material and the city’s contracted debris hauler has removed nearly 25,000 cubic yards, or 1,250 standard truckloads, of storm waste to date.

Starting the first week of November, the Gainesville Public Works Department will begin supplementing the existing 20 contractor units with an additional 10 city units to speed up the remaining collection efforts.

“Residential customers who haven’t had storm debris picked up can expect to see trucks in their neighborhoods in the coming days,” said Public Works Director Brian Singleton in the release. “We anticipate finishing the first pass next week.”

Every Gainesville neighborhood will receive a second pass in November. There is an estimated 35,000 cubic yards of debris that remains slated for pickup. Once the debris is cleared, GFL Environmental will resume regular yard waste service for residential customers.

The city is reminding commercial property owners (businesses, apartment properties, churches, etc.) are responsible for making their own storm debris removal arrangements debris. These costs may be eligible for FEMA reimbursement assistance. For more information, visit FEMA.gov.