The City of Detroit is continuing its spring beautification efforts, by mobilizing a fleet of street sweepers to start cleaning 2,000 miles of residential streets. Crews from the Department of Public Works started three citywide sweeps this week, beginning on the city’s Northeast side. Each will take 10 weeks to complete, cleaning nearly 330 blocks per day, with the project wrapping up in November.
In order to do this effectively, the city will post signs in each neighborhood in advance of the sweepers’ arrival asking residents to remove parked vehicles from the street on the day sweeping is scheduled to take place. This will allow safe passage of the sweeper and maximum cleaning of the streets.
“We expect the program to run much more efficiently this year, because residents are now used to it and our drivers have more experience,” said Doug Collins, Superintendent of DPW’s Solid Waste Division. “Our residents deserve and appreciate this service and our crews take great pride in doing their part to enhance city neighborhoods.”
Mayor Mike Duggan re-instituted the program last year, sending street sweepers into neighborhoods for the first time in seven years after it was discontinued in 2010 due to city budget cuts. The crews started the project in the Cornerstone Village area of Detroit, near St. John Hospital. Residents of Cornerstone Village were surprised to see the news trucks and street sweepers on their blocks, but at the same time, happy that more attention is being paid to the neighborhoods of Detroit.
“Cleaning the streets tells everybody that the city cares about having a good-looking neighborhood,” said Cornerstone Village Community Association President James Grenwick. “That keeps people here and when others look to enter, they see that is the place they want may want to live.”
No parking signs will be posted 48 hours in advance, letting residents know when their blocks and neighborhoods will be swept. A map containing the citywide street sweeping schedule is available at https://www.detroitmi.gov/PublicWorks. If residents have questions or need to report any concerns regarding the program, they should call 313 224-3901.
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