Minneapolis Street Sweeping Begins Oct. 18

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Crews are preparing for the fall street sweeping across Minneapolis. Drivers will need to park out of their way so they can do a thorough job cleaning our roadways.

Minneapolis Public Works will begin the big task of curb-to-curb sweeping and leaf collection on streets throughout the city Tuesday, Oct. 18.

During the four weeks of the comprehensive fall street sweep, crews will clean up about 1,100 miles of city streets. To make sure the sweepers can do the best job possible, temporary “No Parking” signs will be posted at least 24 hours in advance so streets will be clear of cars when they’re swept.

The first signs will be posted Monday, Oct. 17, and sweeping will begin the next day.

Anyone who parks on the street will need to follow street sweeping parking rules or their cars may be ticketed and towed, according to a news release.

• “No Parking” signs: City crews will post “No Parking” signs at least 24 hours before sweeping any streets. Parking will be banned from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the day a street is swept. The “No Parking” signs will be removed as soon as possible after a street has been completely swept to allow people to resume parking. Vehicles not in compliance with “No Parking” signs may be ticketed and towed to the Minneapolis Impound Lot.
• Social media: The city will use Facebook and Twitter to post periodic street sweeping updates and information.
• Phone calls to residents: In addition to the “No Parking” signs that will be posted the day before sweepers come through, the city will make about 3,000 automated phone calls each evening to let residents know their street will be swept the next day. There’s no guarantee that the calls will reach everyone, so residents should be sure to check the schedule and watch for signs.
• Interactive web tool: Folks can use a feature on the city’s website to find out when the sweepers are coming through their neighborhoods.

Clean streets mean a healthier environment

Minneapolis is known for its sparkling lakes and waterways, and we want to keep it that way. That’s why protecting and enhancing our environment is one of the City’s top priorities. Street sweeping is one way we work to protect our environment because it keeps leaves and debris from clogging our storm drains and polluting our lakes and rivers. It also helps keep our neighborhoods clean and livable.

Minneapolis streets are swept completely curb to curb once in the spring and once in the fall. Residents should not push leaves, grass clippings, or other debris into City streets – it’s bad for our lakes and waterways, can cause safety hazards, and is against the law. Anything that goes down a storm drain flows directly into our lakes and river, and decomposing plant material in the water encourages the growth of harmful aquatic plants and algae.

Photos: William Bornhoft/Patch.com