FAYETTE COUNTY, GA - During an early summer morning, a small crew drives down Redwine Road. As their van moves from Fayetteville to the county border, the crew scans the roadside. The roundabout at S. Peachtree Parkway marks the start of their assignment. The Fayette County Road Department maintains more than 500 miles of right‑of‑way and an additional 50 miles of prescriptive easement and gravel roads. This includes trash and dead animal pickup.
Their movements are fast and efficient. They quickly fill black bags with empty water bottles, fast‑food wrappers, paper, and anything discarded from a car window.
“We don’t mind picking up bottles and things; just be mindful,” said Tammy Walker, Crew Worker. Cleaning up after 56,000 residents and visitors is not an easy job. While most won’t see the faces of these crew, everyone benefits from their work.
Ask any Road Department employee, and they will quickly tell you that you should notice a difference when you enter Fayette County’s borders. The roads are tidy and well‑kept. A great deal of strategy and execution goes into making this happen. The litter crew is the quiet force behind each clean, beautiful road. Every road has the potential to get dirty unless two forces are at work: awareness and action. Walker said people should be aware of their behavior.
“Be mindful of where you clean out your car, because that’s what it looks like. It seems that people clean their cars and dump trash on the side of the road. If you are at home, you probably don’t want people dumping trash in front of your yard,” she said.
According to county leadership, 32 tons of trash have been picked up between July 1, 2025, and May 31 of this year. A total of 337 trash‑related service requests has been completed so far in this fiscal year, along with an additional 367 dead animal service requests. While some of these calls are routine, littering and illicit discharge are prohibited in Fayette County. Littering impacts quality of life, destroys the county’s natural beauty, harms or kills wildlife, and diminishes water quality. It also hinders economic development; property values decrease in littered neighborhoods.
“The largest workload for keeping the county clean is right after the Christmas holidays,” said Bradley Klinger, Assistant Director. “Also, if you see trash coming out of a garbage truck, please report this to the garbage company directly. Report any dumping along the sides of the road immediately to the Sheriff’s Office or the Marshal Department,” he said.
As the litter crew finishes the first part of their nine‑hour day, Walker reflects on their work. She says the crew is diligent and they respect one another. She is one of the few minority women working in the Road Department.
“It was different coming from health care to a male environment. They were very welcoming and willing to teach anybody. Sometimes it’s intimidating because I don’t want to mess up, but we all respect each other, our ideas, and our values. That’s what really matters,” she said.
Klinger said there are many ways to show appreciation to the litter crew.
“Positive posts on social media are always welcome for the job these individuals are performing. Slow down and let them know directly that their efforts and hard work are appreciated. You are always welcome to call the Road Department and arrange to sponsor a free lunch for these workers.”
For more information on this subject, please call 770‑320‑6011 or visit our website.