Aurora’s west side spent Tuesday in cleanup mode as city crews tackled a mess of downed trees and storm debris left behind by Saturday’s severe thunderstorms. Street Maintenance Division teams fanned out across the hardest-hit neighborhoods, working to reopen blocked roads and clear parkways while coordinating brush pickup for residents.
Residents were urged to report fallen trees and debris that are blocking roadways or parkways by calling 311, using the myAurora 311 mobile app, or submitting a request through the online 311 portal. The city is asking people to include a name and phone number with their 311 reports so crews can follow up on specific problem spots. According to an official update from the City of Aurora’s Facebook, Street Maintenance Division crews are deployed across the west side to remove hazards and restore safe travel.
Bundling Rules and Groot Collection
Cleanup at the curb comes with some fine print. As outlined by the City of Aurora, branches and limbs between 0.5 and 4 inches in diameter and 2 to 4 feet in length must be bundled, with each bundle weighing less than 50 pounds. Properly bundled limbs can be placed at the curb without a waste sticker.
Brush smaller than 0.5 inch is treated as yard waste and needs to go into a kraft paper yard-waste bag with a waste sticker attached. The city’s sanitation partner, Groot, is handling residential tree debris collection to speed up curbside pickup and help keep streets from turning into log jams.
Street sweeping is scheduled to continue today into the evening hours as crews keep working to remove debris from roads and parkways, the city noted in its latest Facebook update. Officials said teams are working around the clock to carry out a safe and timely cleanup and asked residents not to stack large piles where they could block trucks and equipment. For urgent hazards or blocked travel lanes, the city reiterated that 311 is still the quickest way to get a response.
What Residents Should Do Now
Residents are being asked to bundle limbs neatly, keep each bundle under 50 pounds, and place small brush in kraft paper yard-waste bags with the required waste stickers. Bundles should be left at the curb, and people are encouraged to include a name and contact number on 311 requests so crews can follow up on hard-to-reach piles.
If a large tree has fallen on private property or removal would require heavy equipment, the city is advising residents to enroll in the Groot tree collection program or contact 311 for guidance rather than attempting risky DIY removal.
"I would like to thank all residents for your patience following Saturday’s severe thunderstorms," Mayor John Laesch wrote on the City of Aurora website. Officials cautioned that, given the volume of service requests, full recovery will take time, and crews will continue to prioritize safety and keeping travel lanes open. For most reports, 311 and the myAurora 311 app remain the fastest way to flag an urgent hazard for city teams.
