Street cleaning program springing into action

Crews will start sweeping the winter dirt off Kelowna roads this week.

The city says the full street sweeping program will begin Wednesday, March 15.

“We’ve got seven large road sweepers, seven municipal tractors, four water trucks and 35 staff working on this year’s annual sweep,” Andrew Schwerdtfeger, roadways supervisor, said. “Street sweeping is completed in phases with crews beginning to clean and clear the main roads in the weeks ahead. There’s been some cold temperatures overnight lately that might slow our progress down at first, but our crews will be working to the best of their abilities to complete the sweep as fast as possible.”

Crews will be out seven days a week, 20 hours a day sweeping over 1,911 lane kilometres, 390 kilometres of bike lanes, 440 kilometres of sidewalks and over 35,000 square metres of medians.

The spring sweep is expected to be completed by the end of April, weather permitting.

Residents are encouraged to move vehicles off the road as well as any other items that could get in the way of street sweepers such as basketball hoops. Sweeping sand from sidewalks and boulevards into the gutters is also helpful for a clean sweep.

Signage restricting on-street parking will be in place at least twenty-four hours before an area is scheduled to be swept.

For more information on the city’s roadway maintenance, visit kelowna.ca/roadsweeping.