Forget the rake. Forget the street sweeper. Some autumn cleanup jobs require a front-end loader.
It’s fall leaf-drop time, and local cities are stepping up their efforts to keep the deciduous deluge from clogging storm drains and exacerbating local flooding problems.
On a nine-block stretch of Colby Avenue in north Everett, the effort involves a front-end loader and a dump truck. The wide center median down this picturesque street includes dozens of mature maples. The trees are beautiful, but a pain for local property owners trying in vain to keep their yards clear.
“We like to do the good neighbor thing,” said Marla Carter, public information and education manager for the city’s Public Works Department.
Last year, the city picked up 396 yards of leaves on that stretch of Colby — 8 percent of the city’s entire leaf haul of 4,749 yards.
It’s a unique situation, though, and in most cases cities turn to street sweepers and public education to stay ahead of the pile.
Mountlake Terrace steps up the frequency of its sweeping starting Oct. 30. An extra street sweeper was rented for four weeks to keep up with the work.
In Everett, street sweepers are picking up night shifts. There are now four sweepers running during the day and two at night.
Marysville offers weekly street-sweeping updates sent to subscribers’ email inboxes. The city also requests property owners help street sweepers do their jobs by:
- Parking vehicles or trailers elsewhere during sweeping
- Removing garbage cans or other obstructions
- Trimming low-hanging tree branches
Everywhere, property owners are encouraged to do their own raking and add leaves to their own compost piles or yard waste bins.
“They’re really good for mulch for vegetable and flower gardens,” said Carter, from the Everett Public Works department. She added that the city has natural yard care classes for those who need more tips.
The city follows its own advice.
All those leaves from Colby and other city streets? They go to the Public Works yard, where they’re added to one giant compost pile.
Have a question? Email us at streetsmarts@heraldnet.com. Please include your name and city of residence. Look for updates on our Street Smarts blog.
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