A road project on Georgia Street will require a temporary change in traffic patterns beginning Monday (June 2). The project will include work on underground utilities and new paving and will take an estimated six months for completion, depending on weather conditions. The project will extend from Burk Lane to Loop 335. The project will include temporary roadways to divert traffic around the construction area and to minimize impact to the public as much as possible. Motorists are advised to please heed all traffic signs in the area. Included is a map with the red designation indicating the change in traffic flow beginning Monday. For more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at 806-378-5219 or by email at david.henry@amarillo.gov. ###

The City of Amarillo (COA) Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) will temporarily close the AMBUCS inclusive playground at John Ward Memorial Park beginning Monday (June 2). The playground is one of the most popular playgrounds in Amarillo with significant foot traffic and use. This will be the third resurfacing project for the playground since opening nine years ago. The resurfacing project is needed to prevent possible future safety hazards on the turf surface. The ideal conditions for resurfacing include specific temperatures to ensure proper curing. These conditions will be present in upcoming weeks. The estimated time of completion is two to three weeks. The public will be notified when the playground reopens. City council approved the turf resurfacing project in March. For additional information contact PARD at (806) 378-3036 or by email at contact@amarilloparks.org Also for more information, contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager David Henry at (806) 378-5219 or by email at David.Henry@amarillo.gov.

When considering a career, Victoria Carrillo wanted a job that would always be there no matter economic conditions or changes in technology. As it turned out, Carrillo needed to look no further than the nearest wastebasket. Carrillo is the City of Amarillo (COA) assistant superintendent for Solid Waste Disposal, a position she has held for the past three years. To put it in simple terms, all the trash in Amarillo goes through Carrillo. “It sure does,” Carrillo said with a laugh. As part of her duties, Carrillo oversees solid waste disposal at the COA transfer station and the COA landfill, which is the final destination for all city trash. “Everything that gets picked up in the city, whether it is curbside or commercial, it all goes to the transfer station. From the transfer station it goes to the landfill. I oversee both sides,” said Carrillo. “At the landfill we compact the trash. I make sure we are not impacting the air or groundwater and make sure that we are keeping everything clean.” For perspective of how big a job this is, the city produced 62,000 tons of trash from Dec. 2024 to March 2025. The city produces an estimated 1 million tons of trash on an annual basis. “Amarillo is always expanding,” Carrillo said. The COA landfill consists of 662 acres, with 12 massive cells for trash disposal. Considering these numbers, there will always be a need for employees in the COA Solid Waste Department. “When I started, I was just looking to get my foot in the door in a career that I knew was basically recession proof,” said Carrillo, a Pampa native who spent seven years with the City of Pampa in several spots in the Solid Waste Department. “We are always going to produce trash. It was

The City of Amarillo (COA) is launching a trial drive-thru option for water bill payments beginning Tuesday (May 27) on the north side of City Hall at 623 S. Johnson St. During the trial period, citizens can use the COA Utility Billing Mobile Unit as a drive-thru payment option without needing to enter city hall. Drive-thru service will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday through Friday.  The drive-thru service is available for water bill payments only. This drive-thru service is being tested to gauge community interest in a permanent drive-thru option in the future. In addition to the temporary drive-thru option, COA offers several convenient ways to pay water bills, including online, in-person, night depository drop-off and payment locations throughout the city. A full list of payment options is available at: https://amarillo.gov/utility-billing/pay/ The map below provides details on the mobile unit location and traffic flow to assist visitors. For more information, contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at (806) 378-5219 or by email at David.Henry@amarillo.gov