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Eyewitness News gets trash picked up after week of neglect

While street construction blocks traffic, sanitation crews ignore trash pickup for one neighborhood.

NEW ORLEANS — Adrian Ospina called Eyewitness News this week about trash that was piling up in his neighborhood for more than a month. 

The main pile he was concerned about was located near Audubon Street and Earheart Boulevard. 

 “This particular time it’s been about five weeks since the last pickup," Ospina said.

He said several people in the neighborhood were concerned about sanitation and safety. 

The pile was attracting maggots and flies. 

“We’ve been trying to call the sanitation department and City Hall, all kind of places, 311, to report the situation and nobody responds," Ospina said. 

That's when Ospina decided to call WWL-TV. 

We contacted City Hall and less than an hour later, a City vehicle was there. 

A woman who worked with the City was taking a report. When our cameras started rolling, she drove off. 

“To the City, please come and pick up the trash. At least do that," Ospina said. 

Like many streets in New Orleans, this section of Audubon is impassable due to construction. 

“This construction here has been going on for, I would say, probably at least six months," Ospina said. 

That's why the neighborhood was leaving most of their trash at the corner for easy access for garbage trucks. 

“So I don’t see any reason why they don’t pickup the trash," Ospina said. 

Just when the neighborhood thought the stench would never go away, a garbage truck pulled up a few hours after we reached out to the City. 

“It’s so funny," Ospina said, "As soon as we let you know, and you let them know, they show up.”  

In half an hour, the corner went from cluttered to clean, proving the neighborhood's efforts weren't a waste. 

The City told Eyewitness News that the Department of Sanitation did inspect the area and contact the contractor for that location, Richard's Disposal. 

According to the City, Richard's Disposal immediately dispatched the trucks.

"Sanitation will follow up with Richard's Disposal as to why the missed collection requests reported for that area over the past week were not addressed upon receipt," the City said to Eyewitness News. 

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