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On Monday, April 2, the Streets Division will begin curbside brush collection.  Curbside collection should last from April through the end September. Residents will have multiple opportunities for curbside brush pickup during collection season. The official final round of brush collection is weather dependent and will be announced when that date is known.

Residents who wish to utilize the curbside brush collection service are encouraged to use the Pickup Schedule on the Streets Division’s brush website, www.cityofmadison.com/brushcollection.  The Pickup Schedule will help guide residents on when to place material to the curb to ensure timely collection.

Once on the Pickup Schedule map webpage, residents can enter their address in the “Find an Address” field in the top left corner of the site. This will zoom the map to their neighborhood and show their current collection status.

The Pickup Schedule is updated daily when brush collection is active. Residents wishing to know the most current information regarding the whereabouts of crews and the collection status of their neighborhood should check the Pickup Schedule website regularly.

Residents can also call the brush and yard waste collection hotline at 608-267-2088 for estimates on collection. The hotline recording is updated weekly.

What is Brush?
Brush is woody material trimmed from trees, shrubs, and bushes that measure over 18 inches in length. 

How is Brush Collected?
A two-person crew collects brush. Material is picked from the terrace by hand then fed into a wood chipper.  With this in mind, there are collection guidelines to follow to ensure the safety and efficiency of the workers.

Brush Guidelines
In order for brush to be collected at the curb, it must not be longer than 8 feet in length, and must not be thicker than 8 inches in diameter.

Brush should be piled on an open area of the terrace away from trees, utility poles, and other obstructions.

Be sure to pile brush with cut ends facing the same direction, and separate brush from any foreign objects like loose dirt, metal, wire, rocks, and items set out for large item pickup.

Do not put brush into bags, boxes, or any receptacle. Brush placed into a container will not be collected.  Smaller brush piles may be bundled with string or twine. Bundles must be shorter than 4 feet in length and must not weigh more than 40 pounds.  Oversized bundles, and brush bundled with wire, will not be collected.

Do not pile brush in the street, or obstruct the sidewalk.

Also, do not mix brush with yard waste.  Brush is a separate collection than yard waste, so the piles must be kept separate.  Piles with material mixed together will not be collected.

Finally, the Streets Division will not collect brush that has been cut by a contractor.  Contractors who trim trees, shrubs, and bushes must haul the material their work created to an appropriate processing facility.

Special Note: Large Brush Piles
Piles that will take chipper crews longer than 10 minutes to process will be assigned to a one-man crane vehicle to collect. The crane vehicle, also called a “clam”, will typically arrive within three business days of the chipper crew.

Drop-off Sites
Residents and taxpayers can also use the City of Madison drop-off facilities.  Brush can be delivered to 1501 W. Badger Rd. or 4602 Sycamore Ave. 

Both drop-off sites will be open seven days a week starting March 31.  On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays the sites will be open 8:30am to 4:30pm.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the sites will be open 8:30am to 8:00pm.  These hours will remain in place until December 2, 2018.

Residents and taxpayers are restricted to one load a day.  The maximum load accepted is the equivalent of one pickup truck, or an 8 foot by 4 foot trailer.   Residents and taxpayers attempting to bring in more than this during one trip will be denied access.
All users of the drop-off site are expected to show proof of residency or taxpayer status to use the site.

Contractors may not use these drop-off sites to dispose of material.

For more information regarding the drop-off facilities, and other Streets Division services, please visit www.cityofmadison.com/streets.

Brush Processing Center
Contractors who cut brush from parcels within the City of Madison can deliver brush to the processing center at 121 E. Olin Ave. to be chipped for a per ton fee.  Madison residents who cut brush from a city parcel can also elect to deliver brush to the processing center. 
Mulch is also available at this location.  More information regarding fees for mulch can be found on the Brush Processing Center’s page of the Streets Division’s website.

More Information
For more information regarding the drop-off facilities, curbside collection, and other Streets Division services, please visit www.cityofmadison.com/streets.

Contacts