(Washington, DC) Following the annual winter hiatus, mechanical street cleaning will resume in the District’s most heavily trafficked neighborhoods on Monday, March 20, 2006—the first day of spring. Alternate-side parking restrictions in these areas will also return. Parking citations ($30 fine) will be issued to vehicles parked during street sweeping hours in areas posted with “No Parking/Street Cleaning” signs. Additionally, parked cars may be towed to allow the sweepers access to the curbside.

Weekly street cleaning routes are typically located in the city’s high-density neighborhoods, especially areas with significant foot traffic. Street sweeping reduces debris that would otherwise be carried by rain and runoff into the city’s storm drains, polluting the District’s rivers. The sweepers remove litter from the street by brushing it onto a conveyor system, which transports the material into a debris hopper.

Residents and businesses also play a role in maintaining street cleanliness. District law requires property owners to sweep or keep the area in front of their homes or businesses clean 18 inches from the curb line into the roadway.

Learn more about DPW's street cleaning program.