January 7, 2025 3:20 a.m.

The City of Roseburg leaf collection program is close to wrapping up.

Public Works Director Ryan Herinckx told News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN that the goal of the program is to give all residences the same level of service, which typically means 3 leaf collections during the program. Herinckx said leaf pickup begins in the Laurelwood neighborhood and continues clockwise around the city.

The crew is currently wrapping up in the Hucrest neighborhood and will pick up in the Northwest Garden Valley area next. Herinckx said that means for Laurelwood, West Harvard, West Lookingglass and parts of Hucrest, the leaf pickup has been completed for the year. Public Works staff will continue moving clockwise until they reach the Mill/Pine area. This could take another two weeks to complete.

Herinckx said the 3rd round of leaf pickup is taking longer than normal due to the heavy rains and winds the city has experienced recently. He said the crew has had to pause leaf pickup on occasion to remove wind fallen trees from roadways as well as address high water issues. Herinckx said the heavy rains mat down the leaves, making them harder to vacuum up, and causing them to plug the machine more frequently.