Street Sweeping
Street sweeping is an important part of stormwater and street maintenance. In addition to improving the appearance of our community, sweeping streets provides a number of environmental benefits, including:
- Removing harmful pollutants such as metal particles and other hazardous waste created by vehicles.
- Protecting fish and wildlife by reducing pollutants that can enter waterways when it rains.
- Improving water quality. Street sweeping is considered a best management practice (BMP) for controlling and improving water quality.
- Reducing localized flooding during heavy rains due to clogged drainage catch basins.
- Reducing storm drain maintenance by keeping storm drains clear and unclogged.
- Enhancing traffic safety by removing debris lying in the roadway.
- The city sweeps approximately 125 miles of streets and removes approximately 221,400 pounds of debris each year.
The Public Works Stormwater Division sweeps residential areas 4 times a year. Residential areas are broken into 3 Zones. With one zone being swept per month, in a rotating schedule. The city coordinates its sweeping schedule with garbage-recycling pickup to avoid conflicts. A number of factors, from bad weather to mechanical breakdowns may affect when streets are swept.
Click here it see a list of the neighborhoods in each zone.
Residents should remember that the information provided gives a general estimate for when streets may be swept, not a firm timetable for when they will be swept.
Commercial, Industrial and Main thoroughfares are swept the last week of the month throughout the city.
The included streets can be found on our Street Sweeping Map.
How can you help?
- Please DO NOT rake or blow tree limbs, debris or leaves into streets. Leaves can clog storm drains, creating flooding problems and traffic hazards.
- Residents should put their leaves into yard debris carts for curbside pickup. Large piles of leaves are not able to be picked up by the sweeper.
- The street sweeper now reminds residents to "Protect Water - Only Rain in Drain." Never pour oil, antifreeze or any other hazardous materials in the street, gutter or on the ground.
Vegetation trimming
The streets are kept cleaner when the sweeper has access to each curb and gutter, reducing the amount of pollutants entering the storm drain system.
- For maximum coverage during street sweeping, residents should trim low-hanging branches and other vegetation so sweepers can get as close to the curb as possible.
- All low-hanging material needs to be trimmed to provide 14 feet of vertical clearance from the top of the curb.
- Another 8 feet of clearance should be provided for the full width of the sidewalk.