SAN DIEGO (CNS) — San Diego will take a new, selective approach to its street sweeping program intended to maximize the trash and debris removed from neighborhoods and prevent pollution from reaching the ocean, officials announced Tuesday.
Beginning Thursday, the city's Stormwater Department will increase the frequency of street sweeping routes in some areas and decrease it in others. Routes with high frequency and small trash collection will be decreased and routes with low frequency and large trash collection will be increased.
RELATED: Check to see if your street is impacted
In addition, four routes will have new signage posted to implement limited-hour parking restrictions over the next few months.
"Street sweeping is one of the most effective tools we have to keep our neighborhoods free of trash and stop pollution from reaching our local waterways and the ocean," said Bethany Bezak, interim director of the Stormwater Department. "After analyzing years of data, we identified several opportunities where a slight increase or decrease in the frequency of our street sweeping efforts would significantly bolster the amount of trash and debris collected citywide.
"These changes will help us continue our mission to ensure clean water and clean beaches for all of San Diego," she said.
Specifically, increased street sweeping will take place in Clairemont, Linda Vista, Miramar, Mira Mesa and University City, while sweeping will decrease in Peninsula, Midway-Pacific Highway, Balboa Park, Normal Heights, Kensington, College Area, Grantville, Logan Heights, Encanto and Golden Hill.
In all, 13 routes covering more than 300 miles of streets will experience adjustments.
Parking restrictions will change or be added for specific streets in Encanto, North Clairemont, Allied Gardens and Clairemont Mesa from Thursday through May 2023, with a 30-day grace period after signs are posted before any vehicle citations.
San Diego city staff will conduct outreach in neighborhoods where new signs are posted -- including direct mail and informational flyers distributed on parked vehicles -- to inform residents of the coming changes.
The city's fleet of 28 sweepers covers 61,000 miles of streets annually, removing 220,000 pounds of trash and debris, according to city data. San Diego residents can go to the city's interactive street sweeping map to check if their street is affected by the changes or visit ThinkBlue.org for more information.
