Mayor Menino and Public Works Department Remind Residents of Street Sweeping Changes

Beacon Hill to join expanded program, schedule changes to better align with trash collection

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the Public Works Department reminded residents of changes to the City of Boston’s street sweeping program Feb. 28.

“Keeping Boston clean has always been a top priority for my administration,” Mayor Menino said. “We’re always looking for ways to improve our operations and by aligning the street sweeping schedule to match weekly trash collection, we’re maximizing the potential of each program to keep our streets clean.”

Effective March 1, the Beacon Hill neighborhood will join the North End and South End as part of an expanded street sweeping program that will include the months of March and December, effective March 1, 2013. Street sweeping during the months of December and March is always weather and condition dependent and residents are reminded to sign up for “No Tow” alerts or check the City’s website for up-to-date information on sweeping schedules: www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/sweeping/.

The current Posted Street Sweeping program in Beacon Hill typically ended on November 30 and resumed on April 1. Boston Transportation Department has made the necessary changes to street signage, changing approximately 450 signs to reflect the months the program will be in effect.

The Public Works Department will also implement a new schedule of street sweeping days to align with trash collection for some portions of Jamaica Plain and most of the Dorchester and Mission Hill neighborhoods, effective in April. This effort will provide cleaner streets and a reduction in rodent food sources. The Boston Transportation Department will finish updating street signs to reflect changes in the coming weeks, replacing or adding approximately 6,500 signs in the three neighborhoods.

Existing posted schedules, parking restrictions, and enforcement procedures will remain in place, including ticketing and towing of illegally parked vehicles during these additional months.

Residents are encouraged to sign up for the City of Boston’s Know Tow automated alert system that reminds users to move their cars the night before their street is swept so they are not towed via a host of methods – text message, phone call or email.

Additional tips for residents:

• Signs for both day and night sweeping are posted in your neighborhood, which indicate the days and hours that parking is not allowed.  Residential streets are typically swept during the day program.  Main arterials and the downtown areas are swept in the night program.

• PWD has changed the 2013 posted days/hours for many residential streets to provide more effective street sweeping.  It is important to note the posted signs in your immediate neighborhood since they may have changed since last season.

• The night posted restrictions in all neighborhoods are in effect year round with the exceptions of weather-related cancellations.

• The Beacon Hill, North End, and South End day sweeping program begins on March 1 and ends on December 31.  All other neighborhood day posted sweeping programs run from April 1 through November 30.

• Both the night and day sweeping programs will be enforced, which includes fines for illegal parking as well as towing.

• Comprehensive street sweeping information can be found at www.cityofboston.gov .   You can also register for posted street sweeping electronic reminders and cancellations by accessing the NO-TOW link at that web site.  Inquiries can also be directed to the Mayor’s 24-Hour Service at 61-635-4500.