The Streets Division will begin the annual spring cleanup street sweeping process on the evening of March 17, 2019, if the weather allows.

Starting on the evening of March 17, an overnight shift of street sweepers will be working from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Then, starting on March 18, a daytime shift of street sweepers will work from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sweepers will be active on city streets during these hours for up to six weeks in order to collect as much of the salt, sand, and other grit that has accumulated on the roads during the winter months as possible before it enters the stormwater system.

During the 2018 spring cleanup window, street sweepers collected over 1,500 tons of debris. But crews likely could have collected even more, so the Streets Division needs your help.

Streets sweepers can only collect what they can access. Residents are encouraged to park in their driveways and be sure to abide by parking restrictions to help sweeping operations. Also, residents are encouraged not to place their refuse and recycling carts in the street gutter if possible. When sweepers have to maneuver around obstructions, sections of road cannot be swept. And it can take a few weeks until sweepers can service the neighborhood again for the next sweeping round.

Crews will only be working when weather allows. Street sweepers need water to operate. If the temperatures are too cold, or if another snow event occurs, sweeper operators will rotate to other duties.

As a reminder to those on the roads, street sweepers are slow vehicles. When they are actively collecting material, they move at a top speed of 5 MPH. If you encounter a sweeper on your travels through the city, please give them plenty of space to do their work.
For more information on the Streets Division’s street sweeping operations, go to cityofmadison.com/streets.