Cargo net giveaways, unsecured load fees, and emphasis patrols get underway in June





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Kitsap County News






Cargo net giveaways, unsecured load fees, and emphasis patrols get underway in June






*May 24, 2023*

SYL
Kitsap County launches Secure Your Load for Safer Roads campaign 

Every year in Washington, debris from unsecured vehicle loads causes more than 300 traffic crashes and 30 injuries. Sadly, in 2022, this number included five fatalities attributed to debris in the roadway. Unsecured loads not only endanger drivers, pedestrians, and roadside workers, they also lead to litter along our roadsides. Approximately 40 percent of roadside litter comes from unsecured items falling or blowing from vehicles. Across the state, this equals 15 million pounds each year.

To address this issue locally, Kitsap County Public Works, the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office, and Leadership Kitsap have joined forces to launch the Secure Your Load for Safer Roads [ [link removed] ] campaign. This initiative aims to reduce crashes, fatalities, and litter by promoting the importance of strapping down and securing all items in every truck, trailer, and car load.

The campaign includes cargo net giveaway events, law enforcement emphasis patrols, and strict enforcement of a $10 fee for customers arriving at county solid waste facilities with an unsecured or uncovered load.

The launch of the campaign coincides with National Secure Your Load Day [ [link removed] ], observed on June 6 in Washington state and nationwide. This day raises awareness about the importance of load security and honors those who have been affected or lost their lives due to unsecured loads.

To recognize the importance of load security in our community, the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners recently passed a resolution proclaiming Secure Your Load Day in Kitsap County. The resolution also acknowledges the essential role played by solid waste facility staff in educating motorists about load security.

Two out of three drivers always secure their load, but we need everyone's help. By coming together as a community, we can all make Kitsap's roads safer and cleaner!

Cargas bien sujetadas, caminos más seguros (en Español) [ [link removed] ]

 

Watch the campaign video

The Secure Your Load video [ [link removed] ], created by Kitsap County Solid Waste Division in partnership with Leadership Kitsap [ [link removed] ] and Bremerton-Kitsap Access Television [ [link removed] ], dramatically demonstrates why you should always secure your load.

SYL [ [link removed] ]
 

Sign up now to get a free cargo net

Securing your load is one of the easiest ways to help keep our roads safe and our county beautiful. And now, you can get a cargo net to help – for free. Take the pledge [ [link removed] ] to reserve a net for pickup at one of two upcoming events. Supplies are limited.


* Saturday, June 3 – Bremerton National Airport [ [link removed] ] parking lot, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

* Sunday, July 16 – The Point Casino and Hotel [ [link removed] ] parking lot, Kingston, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. 

Free ratchet straps and car litter bags will also be available at both events – first come, first served. Limit one per customer, while supplies last.

"Events are organized by Leadership Kitsap. Cargo tools provided by Kitsap County Solid Waste Division and through generous sponsorship from The Point Casino & Hotel and Silverdale Lowes. Litter bags provided by Washington Departments of Transportation and Ecology."

*Sign Up for Cargo Net* [ [link removed] ]


*Law enforcement emphasis patrols*

As part of National Secure Your Load Day, local and state law enforcement officials are conducting emphasis patrols in Kitsap County to find unsecured loads, stop drivers, and hand out tickets to those whose loads are not properly secured in accordance with state law [ [link removed] ]. State troopers will conduct emphasis patrols across Washington for three consecutive weekends between June 9 and June 25.

Littering and driving with an unsecured vehicle load are against the law in Washington, with fines up to $5,000. If an item falls out and causes bodily harm or property damage, the driver could also face jail time.

 

*Tips for securing vehicle loads* 

Secure all items in every load, no matter how short the distance or how slow the speed.

It's quick and easy to secure your load and save a life. Watch the campaign video [ [link removed] ] to learn how, and follow these tips:


* Secure every load with straps, nets, tarps, and other tie-downs to prevent items from falling out, sliding, shifting, or becoming airborne.
* Securely fasten large items directly to your vehicle or trailer.
* Cover your entire load with a tarp or net to prevent smaller items from blowing out, and secure the cover.
* Double check your load to make sure all is secure.
* Don't overload your vehicle.
* Talk with your friends, family, and coworkers about the importance of load security, and ask them to secure their loads.
*

Get more tips from Washington Department of Ecology [ [link removed] ]

 

*Challenges of roadside litter cleanup*

Keeping Kitsap County roads clean has become increasingly difficult and costly following the decision to eliminate the use of inmate crews [ [link removed] ] in 2021. These full-time crews were responsible for removing five tons of trash from 300 road miles each month and were the primary resource for helping control litter across the county. Although Kitsap County has developed new strategies [ [link removed] ] for roadside cleanup, more litter accumulates than can be collected.

Roadside litter is an expensive and unrelenting problem across Washington. State agencies spend over $12 million annually on litter cleanup. In 2022 alone, they spent 150,000 hours removing 5.4 million pounds of litter. The key to solving this problem is to prevent litter from happening in the first place. Securing your load and using a car litter bag are easy ways to help.

 

*$10 fee for unsecured loads at solid waste facilities*

Starting August 1, 2023, Kitsap County solid waste facilities [ [link removed] ] will strictly enforce a $10 fee for customers arriving with an unsecured or uncovered load. The collected fees will go toward litter cleanup efforts.

Customers must show staff that their load is secure, without removing tarps, straps, and tie-downs outside the facility.

This fee will be charged at the:


* Olympic View Transfer Station;
* Hansville Recycling and Garbage Facility;
* Silverdale Recycling and Garbage Facility; and
* Olalla Recycling and Garbage Facility.

State law (RCW 70A.200.120 [ [link removed] ]) requires solid waste facilities to charge a fee for unsecured and uncovered loads, and county code (KCC 9.18 [ [link removed] ]) authorizes staff to collect this fee. Facility customers will receive education throughout June and July, giving them time to get cargo tie-downs from local hardware stores or a giveaway event.

 

*Spot a dangerous load on the road? Call 911*

Call 911 if you see a dangerous unsecured load or witness something fall from a vehicle that could cause a crash.

To report litter escaping from a commercial waste collection truck, email the Department of Ecology at [email protected]. Reports are sent to the Washington Refuse and Recycling Association, the group representing major trash haulers. Include the location, time, date, company name, and truck number if available.






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More information

* Visit kcowa.us/SecureYourLoad [ [link removed] ] to learn more about this campaign in Kitsap County.
* Learn more about Kitsap County's litter pick up and prevention programs [ [link removed] ] or visit the Adopt a Spot program website [ [link removed] ] to lend a hand with removing litter from local roads.
* To learn more about statewide campaigns to prevent litter, visit SecureLoadsWA.org [ [link removed] ] and LitterFreeWA.org [ [link removed] ].
* Visit the WSDOT Adopt-a-Highway program webpage [ [link removed] ] to help with highway litter cleanup.

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Contact

Kitsap County Public Works: Caitlin Newman, 360-337-4898, [email protected]

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Other Contacts





*Public Communications
**Manager
*Doug Bear <[email protected]>
360.337.4598




*Commissioners'
Office
*Rebecca Pirtle <[email protected]>
360.337.4650




*Sheriff's Office
Public Information Officer
*Ken Dickinson <[email protected]> <[email protected]>
360.337.5698






*Kitsap Electronic Notification System*

Questions? Contact Kitsap1 at 360.337.5777 or [email protected]







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