Street Sweeping

Street SweeperRoadways, parking lots and other paved areas accumulate debris such as trash, sediment, vegetation, organic matter and vehicle waste. The debris can contain harmful pollutants including metals, organics, nutrients, chemicals, oils and particulate matter. These pollutants are washed down the storm drains and into nearby waterbodies. Street sweeping is the most cost-effective way to help enhance environmental quality while also improving aesthetics and providing safe roadways.

Benefits

Improved Aesthetics  

  • Roadways, curblines, and boulevards kept free of garbage and debris 
  • Waterways, stormwater practices, and other community spaces kept free of debris that may be washed away  

Roadway Safety

  • Reduced roadway hazards for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians  
  • Improved pavement and marking visibility  

Enhanced Environmental Quality  

  • Improved stormwater runoff quality due to removal of sediment, organic matter, nutrients, heavy metals, and trash  
  • Improved air quality due to removal of fine particulate matter 
  • Removal of sand and silt associated with winter maintenance operations 
  • Less unwanted deposition in lakes, streams, and other waterbodies  
  • Reduced stormwater infrastructure maintenance costs (catch basins, pipes, sumps, and stormwater treatment practices  
  • Better recreational use of our water  

Sweeping Information

City Street crews work in designated areas of the city and then move to the core area.

Spring Sweepings

In an effort to keep the drains from plugging with the sand that is put down during the winter months, the City sweeps the streets in the Spring.

Fall Sweepings

The fall sweeping is intended to remove leaves that fall onto the streets, not leaves raked into the streets by homeowners. Please do not rake, pile, or blow debris, leaves, or tree branches into the street or the storm drain. Place leaves and yard trimmings in your green waste containers. This will prevent leaves and debris from clogging storm drains, which can lead to flooding.

During Spring and Fall cleanings, residents may submit a request for street sweeping by completing a Online Request Form. 

Ordinance

Raking or blowing leaves or yard waste into the gutter is an illegal disposal and a violation of the Stormwater Management ordinance. Per the ordinance:

"No person shall intentionally dispose of leaves, dirt, or other landscape debris into a street, road, alley, catch basin, culvert, curb, gutter, inlet, ditch, natural watercourse, flood control channel, canal, storm drain or any fabricated natural conveyance"