Alley sweeping to begin in some neighborhoods
Clean-up by mechanical sweepers to take place the day after regular trash collection
Above: A well-swept, if overgrown, alley in North Baltimore at daybreak.
Nearly a dozen Baltimore neighborhoods will be getting mechanical alley sweeping, the Department of Public Works has announced.
Three custom-designed sweeping machines will start cleaning loose trash, grit, dirt, oils and other chemicals from the alleys in 10 neighborhoods on the days after regular weekly trash collection.
The days and neighborhoods scheduled for alley sweeping are:
MONDAY: Belair-Edison and Panway-Braddish.
TUESDAY: Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello, Mondawmin and Parkview Woodbrook.
THURSDAY: Reservoir Hill and Washington Blvd/Pigtown.
FRIDAY: McElderry Park/Ellwood Park, Sandtown-Winchester and Hollins Market.
Residents Still Responsible
Residents are asked to remove all obstacles from the alleys to allow the mechanical sweepers to do a thorough job.
It remains the responsibility of residents to keep the alleys behind their properties clean. Leaving trash or other obstructions in an alley is a violation of the Baltimore code and subject to a fine.
The 10 neighborhoods were chosen for wide, paved and intact alleys where the mechanical sweepers can be the most effective, according to the Bureau of Solid Waste.
The three new alley sweepers, costing $525,000, will also be used to help clean streets after festivals.