Street Cleaning Begins In Chicago

Street-sweeping season means new parking restrictions for drivers

Spring is officially here in Chicago, but the aftermath of winter just won't go away.

The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation on Monday began its 2014 street sweeping season following the recent end to the winter parking ban.

“With this harsh winter finally coming to an end, Streets and Sanitation has been aggressively cleaning along arterial routes to ensure streets and curb lanes are clear of litter and garbage for the spring,” Commissioner Charles L. Williams said in a press statement.

For drivers, this means new parking restrictions. Signs are being permanently posted on some of the major streets that require weekly cleaning. Temporary signs for smaller streets are posted the day before the scheduled cleaning.

After a particularly severe winter, there is an excess of debris and litter left over on the streets that was previously trapped under the snow. Now that much of the snow has melted, Chicago’s streets are left with the aftermath.

While the sweeping equipment works the major streets, additional crews are tasked with picking up litter and other objects along curb lanes on smaller streets.

To find out when the street sweepers are coming to your neighborhood, the City of Chicago has posted a schedule on its website with schedules and maps by ward.

Last year, sweeping crews cleaned 267,399 lane miles.

Contact Us