If you live in Detroit, expect to soon see street sweepers on your street. The city officially re-launched a residential street sweeping program.
The city hasn’t had a street sweeping program since 2010, when debt that eventually led to bankruptcy forced the city to make cuts.
“It says to city residents that city services are back, that we are doing the things they demand and deserve,” said Scott Benson, 3rd District Councilman.
Sherome Ivory is a driver of one of the new street sweepers. He has worked for the city for 23 years. He drove a street sweeper before the program was eliminated in 2010. He then went to work in trash collection. He says it is fun to see how people are reacting to news the sweepers are back.
“They are out calling, ‘Thank you all so much!’” said Ivory.
The city bought 8 new sweepers. The plan is to have them clean all streets 3 times a year. The cost of the program is about $1.7 million.
“This is huge on many facets,” said Dhavel Patel, the Supervisor of Street Sweeping. “It keeps the catch basins clean and the sewers clean. It also brings pride of ownership to residents.”
Residents will know when their street will be cleaned. Signs will be put up on their street two days in advance, asking them not to park on the street on the day of the sweeping.
