Crews Cleaning Out Homeless Camp Set Up Inside Highway 65 Bypass In Lincoln
LINCOLN (CBS13) – Authorities have vacated a homeless encampment that had been set up inside the Highway 65 bypass.
The Lincoln Police Department says officers discovered the encampment last week when they were busy cleaning up after transients in the Auburn Ravine. Officers found that transients had gotten into the bridge by removing a gate, giving them access inside the bridge itself.
After making the discovery, Caltrans was notified and a notice was posted giving the transients 72 hours to vacate.
Wednesday, crews – along with a dump truck and tractor – moved in to clean up the illegal campsite.
Crews had to clean up mounds of hazardous trash inside the "rooms" of the bridge. Police say a mattress, rotten food, syringes, jugs of liquid presumed to be urine and other items were found inside.
A makeshift bridge had even been built to make it easier to get to the encampment.
In total, about 30 yards of trash needs to be cleaned up.
Crews are continuing to clean up the area. Police say they will be periodically checking the area to make sure no one sets up camp inside the bridge again.