Illegal Dumping On The Rise On Osage Prairie Trail

Trash is piling up on one of Tulsa's popular bike trails. The Osage Prairie Trail between OSU-Tulsa and Skiatook is seeing a lot of illegal dumping.

Everyone from commuters to horseback riders use the trail daily, but it’s getting a lot more difficult to navigate the trail because of all the household trash.

Three times a day, Michael Taylor rides to and from work on the Osage Prairie Trail. He's not happy his commute has him dodging trash on the bike path.

"For it to be on a public trail, it's ridiculous man," said cyclist Michael Taylor.

Everything from garbage to entire pieces of living room furniture is ending up on the trail near 51st Street North.

It's an eyesore, but bicyclists on the trail also say it's a safety issue with trash scattered all over the path.

Taylor said, "It's all trash in the way. They can probably roll over and don't see it and hit it and fall, anything can happen, and you smell all type of trash and manure, everything. It's just not right."

The Osage Prairie Trail runs from OSU-Tulsa's campus to Skiatook, following the old Midland Valley Railroad tracks.

Skiatook, Tulsa and Tulsa County manage the 14-mile trail path. The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office patrols all of it.

Deputy Justin Green said, "It becomes a problem for the citizens who live, work and play in that area as well as a problem for the environment."

Green said the last place you should dump is on park property.

"If you do get caught, you will be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” he said. “There are places where you can take your stuff and dump it. You know, the rest of us have to do things according to the law, so you should do that as well. Don't be lazy. Don't take the shortcut. Go out there and do things the right way."

If you're caught dumping, you could face a $5,000 fine and jail time.

If you see any dumping you can contact the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 918-596-5600.