Crews are preparing to sweep streets across Minneapolis this month and in November to clean the streets before winter. Street sweeping keeps leaves and debris out of the storm drains and from ending up in our lakes and rivers as much as possible, according to experts.
Minneapolis Public Works will begin the big task of curb-to-curb street sweeping throughout the city Tuesday, Oct. 18. During the four weeks of the comprehensive fall street sweep, crews will clean about 1,000 miles of city streets. To make sure crews 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 posted parking rules or their cars may be ticketed and towed.
Ways to stay informed of the parking rules
- “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. However, the “No Parking” signs will be removed as soon as possible after a street has been completely swept to allow people to resume parking after the signs are removed. Vehicles not in compliance with “No Parking” signs may be ticketed and towed to the Minneapolis Impound Lot. The sweeping takes several steps, so people should not resume parking until the signs are removed.
- 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 various ways to be aware of the rules, and watch for signs.
- Interactive web feature – The Street Sweeping Schedule Map is available on the City’s website. Visitors to the website will be able to find out which week their street is scheduled to be swept. Then, on the weekend before each of the four weeks, the schedule for the upcoming week will be broken down to show which day of the week streets are scheduled to be swept.
- Videos – Street sweeping is explained in English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong on the City’s YouTube channel and on Minneapolis City TV.
Clean streets for a healthier environment
Minneapolis is known for its sparkling lakes and waterways, and city officials want to keep it that way.
“That’s why protecting and enhancing our environment is one of the City’s top priorities,” said city officials in a released statement. “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 with enforcement of parking rules once in the spring, and again in the fall. Residents should not push leaves, grass clippings, or other debris into City streets — it’s bad for lakes and waterways, can cause safety hazards and is against the law. Anything that goes down a storm drain flows directly into lakes and river, and decomposing plant material in the water encourages the growth of harmful aquatic plants and algae.
