Residents and commissioners raise Winooski backups tied to Waste Management operations

Residents and commission members described recurring traffic backups on Winooski Road near the waste-management facility, saying lines of vehicles sometimes back onto county Highway 219 and into Newberg neighborhoods. An attendee who said they used to work for Waste Management urged the city to require the company to redirect traffic or face fines for backups onto the highway.

"It's currently a county issue," staff said, noting the affected stretch is just south of the water treatment facility and outside city limits. Captain Cameron Ferguson said the department has passed resident complaints to county sheriff and county staff and that multiple meetings with Waste Management have produced little traction.

Why it matters: commissioners and staff said the traffic impacts extend into Newberg when queued vehicles leave the facility lanes and enter neighborhood streets, creating safety concerns for residents and complicating enforcement when the facility sits outside city jurisdiction.

Staff said signage exists on the south side of Winooski and that resolving the problem will likely require the county and Waste Management to cooperate; one commissioner suggested residents attend the May 18 meeting to comment publicly on the issue.

The commission did not direct a formal motion; staff will continue coordination with county partners and incorporate the Winooski concern into the active issues log for future work-plan prioritization.