Street Sweeping Back in Action

The following is a press release from the mayor's office. It has been lightly edited.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino reminds residents that Boston’s Daytime Neighborhood Street Cleaning Program officially kicked-off for the season on April 1, 2012.  This year, the Neighborhood Street Cleaning Program has updated streetsweeping days in many neighborhoods to better align the sweeping schedule with trash and recycling days in an effort to boost the impact of the City’s cleanup services and reduce neighborhood trash and litter.  The new sweeping schedule and enforcement began citywide on April 1.

“Keeping Boston’s neighborhoods clean is a top priority of mine, as well as the residents of Boston, and these schedule changes will allow the city to clean streets in a way that maximizes the benefits of sweeping,” Mayor Menino said.  “I look forward to seeing our neighborhoods shine once again this spring.”

Due to the mild winter this year, the City of Boston has been able to maintain an aggressive cleanup effort and get a head start readying the City for spring.  In addition to street sweeping, Public Works has dispatched its Pothole Patrol teams which have been seeking and filling potholes throughout the winter, as well as completing additional sidewalk repairs and street sweeping, made possible by the lack of snow. 

Residents are reminded to double check their sweeping schedule. The Boston Transportation Department has over the last two months changed more than 4,000street signs across the city to reflect the changes, as well as distributing more than 11,000 fliers to cars parked in the affected residential areas.  Residents and other drivers are encouraged to register for “No-Tow” email reminders and visit www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/sweeping for comprehensive street sweeping schedule information. 

The expanded program in the South End includes an expansion of the program into March and December and onto the 5th week of each month, at the request of the neighborhood.  By moving the sweeping day to follow trash collection more closely, the new schedule will alleviate litter generated from this collection in a more timely and effective manner. 

The Daytime Neighborhood Street Cleaning Program is a cooperative effort of the Mayor's Office, the Public Works Department, the Transportation Department, and the Department of Innovation and Technology.  Neighborhood streets throughout the city will be swept clean on a rotating schedule each week through November 30th.  Vehicles are required to be moved in accordance with the posted Street Cleaningregulations.  Since parked vehicles prohibit the equipment from getting to the curb, thestreet cleaning parking regulations are strictly enforced.  Vehicles parked in violation of the posted regulations are subject to a $40 ticket as well as towing.  All towing forstreet cleaning violations is conducted by private tow operators at the sole expense of the vehicle owner. 

For more information visit www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/sweeping.Residents can also call the Mayor’s Hotline at 617-635-4500 for sweeping information.