Milwaukee flooding recovery efforts; tips, info to navigate aftermath
Milwaukee flooding recovery; city officials provide update
Milwaukee city officials provide information on regarding flood recovery efforts and impacts.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, the Department of Public Works and other officials provided an update in the aftermath of historic flooding in the city. Officials had important updates and tips for residents.
Aftermath of historic flooding
What they're saying:
"First and foremost, I want to make sure that everybody still is cautious, remain cautious and be careful. Be careful when you're cleaning up. Be careful when you're around," Mayor Johnson said. "There is plenty of information and access for residents who are busy cleaning up from flooding damage. The information below should provide a solid start."
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The DPW commissioner drew special attention to electronic items being tossed by residents who have suffered water damage.
"We do want to let people know that if you do have electronics, we do not accept those at the curbside. But we will accept those at the drop off centers to make it easier on yourself. If you can separate those electronic items when you come in to the drop off center to speed up the process, it would be much appreciated," said DPW Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke. "We're trying to prioritize people using the online, click or click for action opportunities because the call lines are a little backed up right now. We've had over a thousand calls for service."
Milwaukee DPW Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke
Lastly, Milwaukee City Librarian Joan Johnson addressed damage at the city's libraries. Six branches suffered significant damage and three of those branches remain closed.
"That includes the Village Square branch on the north side, the Bay View branch on the south side, and…from this morning's storm, the East Branch now on the East Side and Near East Side.
Those branches suffered water-related damage to building systems.
Milwaukee City Librarian Joan Johnson
Bulky Item Collection
We will be conducting free special bulky item pickups for households with city garbage collection service, and fees will be waived for flood-related bulky item pickup. Residents should place items at their regular garbage collection point. If material is not able to be collected on the normal collection day this week, crews will refer those addresses and the department will schedule a follow-up pickup. If items are not placed out on the regular pickup day this week, residents must make a request by contacting the city. Due to high call volume, wait times are longer than usual, so we encourage milwaukee.gov/clickforaction and the MKE Mobile app for reporting, but residents may also use the Call Center at 414-286-CITY.
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In the wake of historic flooding in southeast Wisconsin, Lowe's stores in Wauwatosa and Franklin are offering area residents free cleanup supplies that will be available on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
Drop-Off Centers
Both the South (Lincoln Avenue) and North (Industrial Road) Drop-Off Centers are open and free to city residents through Sunday, Aug. 17, during regular hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. These sites are accepting flood-related debris and household items to assist in cleanup.
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Parking Enforcement & Vehicle Relocation
To support neighborhood recovery, overnight parking enforcement is suspended Monday through Wednesday nights this week. Vehicles must still be legally parked. Regular enforcement will resume Thursday night into Friday morning. Our crews have also been actively relocating stranded vehicles to the roadside to improve access and safety. We are asking owners to move those vehicles by Thursday to avoid impoundment.
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About a dozen food pantries in southeastern Wisconsin lost supplies or sustained damage in the flooding from over the weekend.
Street Sweeping & Safety
Street sweeping to remove flood debris will begin in the coming days. We are asking for public cooperation in keeping roadways clear to support efficient operations. We continue to remind residents to avoid walking or driving through flooded areas, and to report storm-related issues such as:
- Street or basement flooding
- Stranded vehicles
- Downed trees or limbs
- Traffic or streetlight outages
- Any other service-related concerns
Reports can be submitted via milwaukee.gov/clickforaction, the MKE Mobile app, or by calling 414-286-CITY.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the City of Milwaukee.