cityofboston.gov - Official Web Site of the City of Boston - Thomas M. Menino, Mayor

Schedule

When is my street cleaned?

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Schedule

What streets are cleaned in winter months?

Streets swept in the daytime (during morning and afternoon hours) are generally swept from April to November.  The City's Nighttime Street Cleaning Program runs year-round, weather permitting. This program cleans main roads, arterials, and commercial roads, and schedules are posted on street signs. Nighttime means that the cleaning occurs late at night (between 12:01am and 7am, for example).

In the North End neighborhood only, street sweeping extends into the winter.  Daytime street sweeping continues through December, stops in January and February, and then resumes in March.  This applies to daytime sweeping - streets swept during the morning and afternoon hours.  These restrictions are written on street signs.

In the South End and Beacon Hill neighborhoods, extended winter sweeping is scheduled to begin in March 18, 2013.

Incorrect / Missing Data

Why don't I see my street in the online database?

If your street is not found in the online database, first try a partial spelling (e.g. WASH instead of N WASHINGTON). If it still does not appear, then there are two cases to consider:

In the first case, if you know that the street has actual street signs on it for street cleaning, then please contact Public Works with all details (street name, neighborhood, cross streets, and the posted schedule) so that we can make sure it's entered in the database. In the meanwhile, always obey the street sign.

In the second case, if the street does not have signs on it, then the street is probably not part of the "posted" Neighborhood Street Cleaning program. Streets with posted parking restrictions are swept to the curb according to the schedule written on street signs. Other public streets in Boston are swept intermittently by Public Works, but not necessarily on a schedule, and not all the way to the curb enforced by parking restrictions. For questions or to report debris on such streets, call the Mayor's Hotline (617-635-4500).

Why is my street listed under the wrong neighborhood?

For purposes of street cleaning, streets are organized by Public Works district yard. District yards cover territories which do not follow neighborhood boundaries. So, your street may appear to be listed under an adjacent neighborhood.

What do I do when discrepancy between the website/email and the posted signs?

If you find a discrepancy between the website/email and a posted street sign, then this email is wrong -- always obey the street sign.

Please report any discrepancies by filling out a service request form or calling the Mayor's Office at 617-635-4500.

How can I report a discrepancy between the website/email and posted signs?

Please report any discrepancies by filling out a service request form or calling the Mayor's Office at 617-635-4500.

Towing

Why are vehicles towed for street sweeping?

The street cleaning towing program was reintroduced in 2007 at the request of residents asking for cleaner streets. Without involuntary towing, street sweepers were unable to reach the curb and collect 90% of the debris.

How are vehicles towed for street sweeping?

Towing for street sweeping violations is overseen by the Public Works Department. Such vehicles are towed by privately owned tow trucks to private lots, which is different from towing done by the Boston Transportation Department. Though the ticketing step is handled by BTD, the towing step is handled by PWD.

What happens if my vehicle is towed?

To locate and recover a towed vehicle, follow the instructions on towing page.

More Information »

My car won't start. What can I do to avoid being towed?

Residents with disabled vehicles are advised to arrange to have their vehicle privately towed to a repair shop, before street sweeping is scheduled.  The cost of having your vehicle ticketed, plus the maximum involuntary towing charge, plus storage charges will be much more expensive than the cost of having it privately towed.

Rules

Can I park immediately after the street sweeper has cleaned my street?

The City asks you observe and respect the times posted on the signs.

What happens on the 5th week of the month?

Be careful on the 5th week. Streets cleaned EVERY week ("Every Wednesday", for example) are also cleaned on the 5th week, and parking restrictions are enforced. For streets cleaned on alternate weeks (1st/3rd or 2nd/4th), PWD asks that you try to move your vehicle as sweepers will be working weather permitting, but parking restrictions are not enforced.

Cancellation

What happens if it rains?

A common misperception is that street sweeping is always cancelled when it rains. In reality, light rain actually helps the sweeper clean the street. Constituents are advised to contact the Mayor's Hotline (617-635-4500) to check for updated status of any cancellations due to rain.

What happens on weekends?

Some streets are swept at night and on weekends, especially commercial roads and main arteries. Obey the signs.

What happens on holidays?

Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 617-635-4500 for exact details.

Will I get notified if street sweeping is cancelled?

Many times, street sweeping is not cancelled until after reminders have been sent out. Whenever possible, a cancellation notice will be sent to subscribers. Constituents are advised to contact the Mayor's Hotline (617-635-4500) to check for updated status of any cancellations.

Reminders / Subscription

How do I receive reminders?

The City offers courtesy email reminders through the No-Tow™ program. To receive reminders, first search the online database for the streets you are interested in. When results are returned, you can select streets and enter your email address for reminders.

Is this the same as Boston Sweeper®?

No, Boston Sweeper is a notification service operated by The Boston Globe. The City of Boston maintains the No-Tow notification service. The two services are similar. Among the differences are that schedule information in No-Tow is updated directly by Public Works while the information in Boston Sweeper is updated by the Boston Globe. Also, Boston Sweeper includes streets in Cambridge and Somerville while No-Tow does not.

More Information about Boston Sweeper »

How do I unsubscribe?

If you no longer want to receive reminders, use the Subscription Management Form.

Can you tell me which streets I signed up for?

Enter your email address in the Subscription Management Form and we'll send you an email with all the streets you're registered for.

Can I add more streets to my alert?

Add streets by using the lookup form and selecting the streets you are interested in.