(Washington, DC) The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) reminds citizens that tickets for street sweeping violations go into effect on Monday, March 29, 2010, in neighborhoods with regularly scheduled street sweeping as indicated by street signage. Citizens are urged to move their vehicles to avoid the $30 citation.

Although residential street sweeping resumed Monday, March 22, DPW gave citizens a five-day grace period before beginning enforcement. Parking Control Officers will enforce residential routes beginning Monday, during which time vehicles parked illegally in the sweeper lane will be issued printed tickets. On Monday, April 5, street sweepers equipped with cameras (known as “Sweepercams”) will enforce parking.

“We will begin the first week of enforcement with parking control officers so citizens can see the citations right away, which will hopefully remind them to move their cars,” said DPW Director William Howland. “When we begin using Sweepercam, there will be no pink slip left on windshields; tickets will be mailed to the homes.”

Street sweeping is a major component of the District’s efforts to control pollution from storm water runoff. Routine street sweeping collects a range of pollutants like oil and grease, nitrogen and phosphorus, sediments, and trace metals. Nearly 40,000 pounds of oil and grease, and 3,000 pounds each of nitrogen and phosphorus are removed by street sweepers each month. Cleaning these pollutants off the streets keeps them from being washed into rivers and streams by rainfall.

Citizens who receive a ticket via Sweepercam will be able to review their citations online in the same way they can view their parking citations online at dmv.dc.gov.

Media Contacts

• Nancee Lyons
• (202) 369-6808