Street sweeping resumes across Philadelphia as seasonal cleanup program begins

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Street sweeping machines returned to neighborhoods across Philadelphia on Monday as the city launched its seasonal mechanical street cleaning program, an effort officials say is aimed at beautifying streets and targeting areas with the heaviest litter.

Crews began sweeping citywide starting Monday and will continue through October 29th. Street sweeping is scheduled Monday through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., with no service on Fridays, weekends, or city holidays.

In Logan, resident Joann Williford said residents have a role to play alongside city crews. She was out with a broom Monday, clearing debris ahead of the street sweepers near Windrim and Duncannon.

“This area’s not too bad; however, this still helps. If the mayor’s going to send the trucks through then it’s our responsibility as neighbors,” Williford said.

Logan is one of 14 neighborhoods targeted this year. No-parking signs have been posted citywide, and the sanitation department says an initial warning period will be followed by ticketing.

Sanitation Commissioner Crystal Jacobs Shipman emphasized that motorists need to follow posted restrictions, but said parking can resume once cleaning is complete.

“Do not park your car there, but here’s the catch: we have awebsite … if the assigned sweeper has been down your block, you can park your car again,” she said.

City officials say the program prioritizes areas with the highest levels of litter, as identified through Philadelphia’s Litter Index report, which surveyed nearly 25,000 city blocks.

The most common types of trash include paper, plastic bags, bottles and cans, and construction debris tied to illegal dumping, which the city has been working to address.

“It’s not simple enough just to have trash cans or do a cleanup here and there, some areas need a little bit more attention and a little bit more service,” she said.

The effort aligns with the mayor’s stated goal of making Philadelphia the cleanest and greenest big city in America, a goal some residents say they share.

“You go to other cities, their streets are clean. I would like Philadelphia to be clean too,” Gary Burger of Logan said.

Residents can track street sweeping activity online.