The City of Edmonton will start its annual street-sweeping campaign on Monday, to get get rid of the built up dust and dirt leftover from the winter.
The city said signs will be put up in neighbourhoods to let residents know when crews will be in their area. People are sked to move their vehicles off the streets so crews can do a good job of removing sand and debris and from the streets and boulevards.
“Spring sweep is something everybody can play a part in to help clean our city for spring,” said Philip Herritt, director of infrastructure operations with the city.
“This cooperation helps our crews deliver a high level of service to clear streets quickly and efficiently.”
Street sweeping will be done from Monday to Friday, 24 hours a day. Crews will start with major roads and then move into residential areas in the upcoming weeks. The goal is to complete street sweeping within the next eight weeks.
“All of our crews are doing our best to complete street sweeping in the most efficient manner possible,” said Valerie Dacyk, supervisor of active pathways for infrastructure operations.
“Our timelines are affected by weather but we will be completing as soon as possible.”
Earlier this week, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi took to Twitter to say that Chinatown, other business districts and key entertainment areas such as Whyte Avenue and Jasper Avenue will be prioritized for spring clean-up.
Sohi said a June 1 date for completion is “not quick enough.”
“I would like to see spring clean-up completed by early May,” Sohi tweeted.
The city said its process attempts to make sweeping as efficient and non-disruptive as possible. Crews will sweep the boulevards first, pushing debris onto the road where sweeping equipment will follow behind and pick it up.
Residential roads will be swept during the day. High-volume roads will be done at night.
River Valley Road and Groat Road will be closed during off-peak hours when they are cleaned, Dacyk said.
“We will try and do this at times that cause the least amount of delays for drivers,” she explained.
The city said peace officers, flashing lights and blocked lanes should be expected when crews are out on high-volume, high-speed roads.
The city said any vehicles left on the streets during sweeping may receive a “courtesy tow” to a nearby road. The city will not issue tickets.
If there are too many vehicles on any given roadway for crews to do their job, the city said it will bypass the area. People with driveway ramps are asked to remove them before crews arrive, as crews have been instructed to avoid them.
Street-sweeping schedules are also available on the city’s website. They will be updated over the next eight weeks.