More than two weeks after a crash left a trash-filled trailer abandoned on the side of the Hutchinson River Parkway, the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) brought in heavy machinery to finally clear the wreckage.
According to DSNY, the unusual cleanup began early Monday morning, but the trailer itself had been sitting near Pelham Bay since at least June 23. That’s when officials say they were first alerted to the trailer, which had been left behind after a serious collision.
Rather than wait for authorities, the driver unhitched the trailer after the crash and abandoned it at the scene, DSNY said.
The trailer, filled with garbage and cardboard debris, was so badly damaged that it couldn’t be accessed or towed without being taken apart. DSNY had to develop a detailed removal plan involving multiple teams and heavy-duty equipment.
The agency executed the operation Monday, dismantling the trailer on-site and hauling away both the wreckage and its rotting contents.
DSNY posted clips of the whole process to the NYC Sanitation X account.
Someone abandoned their trash-filled trailer on the street after a collision. 🙄
WHY!?
New York’s Strongest brought out the big equipment to remove the trailer and get the street CLEAN!
Don’t trash NYC. pic.twitter.com/WKf1RZLffT
— NYC Sanitation (@NYCSanitation) July 7, 2025
“Someone abandoned their trash-filled trailer on the street after a collision,” DSNY said on its official social media account. “WHY!? New York’s Strongest brought out the big equipment to remove the trailer and get the street CLEAN! Don’t trash NYC.”
The multi-step removal plan included two different kinds of front-end loaders, a truck for debris disposal, and a tractor-trailer to haul away the destroyed chassis. A mechanical broom was later used to clean the surrounding area.
Vincent Gragnani, a spokesperson for DSNY, said the department, City Hall and the NYPD are working together to minimize the disruptions to New Yorkers’ quality of life caused by abandoned vehicles through an interagency Abandoned Vehicle Taskforce.
“No one should have to deal with derelict and abandoned vehicles in their neighborhoods,” Gragnani said.
“We take these complaints seriously,” Gragnani said, noting that in 2024 DSNY hauled away almost 13,000 derelict and abandoned vehicles.
Bronx residents are serious about garbage too. Impassioned by cleaner streets, hundreds of volunteers cleared about 4,000 pounds of garbage off the borough’s streets during the month of June for Bronx Borough President Gibson’s “Don’t Dump on the Bronx” campaign. “Clean up the damn streets” even became an election swaying slogan that propelled city council candidate Justin Sanchez to victory in the District 17 Democratic primary.
The trailer’s removal contributes to the broader push throughout the borough by Bronxites frustrated by streets with too much litter and along with other sanitation wins may signal a move towards the cleaner streets Bronx residents have been calling for.
It is unclear who owns the trailer or if any enforcement actions have been taken in this case. NYPD has not yet responded to a request for comment.
The area surrounding the wreck has been cleared and reopened to traffic without further incident.
