The tiny City of Carlton lies right on Waste Management's garbage route -- the chain of roadways that huge garbage-hauling trucks follow day in day out en route from WM's transfer station in Forest Grove to Riverbend Landfill. Carlton calculates that the heavy semis run through town, right down main street, 8,000 times a year.
The damage the big trucks cause is extensive. Twice in the past few years the city has had to repair sewer and other pipes underneath the streets.
Now Carlton is asking Metro to pay.
Most of the waste that rides through town comes from the Metro area, not from Yamhill County. The trucks use ODOT approved routes, which in this case means Hwy 47, right through downtown Carlton as well as two residential neighborhoods. Pointing to a state law that authorizes monetary compensation for jurisdictions harmed by the collection of waste into regional facilities, the city asked Metro to contribute to its road repairs.
Although Metro has given no indication that it will act on Carlton's plea, the city's plight points up an unacknowledged side effect of Riverbend Landfill: the impact on taxpayers. Roads throughout the County, not just in Carlton, are affected; a major hauler to the dump is Pride, which runs down Hwy 99W. Litter abounds. Noise, odors, traffic, lights, vectors including birds and predators all impact residences and businesses in the dump vicinity as well as travelers on Hwy 18. The County has failed to consider these costs when evaluating the dump's usefulness. As the situation in Carlton shows, these costs add up.
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