Trucks from the Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure, Denver Police officers and an environmental hazmat cleanup company descended on a homeless tent camp Tuesday morning on the northeast side of I-25 and Broadway.
Crews removed more than 2.5 tons of trash and debris and 120 pounds of propane, according to DOTI spokeswoman Nancy Kuhn.
“This is an area that has required some attention recently for excessive amounts of trash and deteriorating conditions,” she said in an email to the Denver Gazette.
The triangular plot of land has a tall retaining wall on the east side with residential houses on the other side of it on South Cherokee Street. On the west side, vehicle traffic flows by almost continuously as motorists exit I-25 there to get to downtown via Lincoln Street.
For months in 2022, the site grew in tents, shopping carts, bicycles and trash. At one point, large burn marks crawled up the side of the white retaining wall over the remains of a burned-out tent.
The Colorado Department of Transportation owns the land and has an agreement with the City and County of Denver to enforce trespassing laws and perform cleanups as necessary, according to a spokesperson. CDOT was not involved in Tuesday's sweep.
One homeless person, who declined to identify himself, said they were given no notice. None of the residents on Cherokee Street wanted to comment or returned written requests for comment on front doors.
“Denver Police supported CDOT for a cleanup there on Jan. 26,” Kuhn said. “No one was cited for trespassing, but they were asked to move so the area could be thoroughly cleaned. Conditions deteriorated again, and with CDOT unable to get out there this week, DOTI assisted in cleaning up the site yesterday with DPD’s support.”
A police spokesperson could not be reached for comment Wednesday to confirm if any arrests were made, or citations issued.
About eight people remained at the site and were “given time to gather their things,” she said.
Items removed that presented a public health hazard, or safety risk, included: illegal drugs; used syringes; medical waste; perishable food items; and dirty diapers. Other things removed included fast food wrappings and napkins, mattresses, pillows, mats and “items that are soiled with human or animal waste, or other bodily fluids.”
The city contracted with Environmental Hazmat Cleanup to help. Kuhn could not estimate the cost of the cleanup, as the company had not submitted an invoice. A company official declined comment Tuesday.
The company is on a five-year contract with the city and "utilized by multiple departments."
