Mendota Heights Street Sweeping To Begin On March 29

Press release from the City of Mendota Heights:

March 25, 2021

Please keep vehicles off your street until both sides have been swept.

Keeping our ponds, wetlands, lakes and streams healthy is a high priority for the City of Mendota Heights. Maintaining clean streets through spring and fall street sweeping, as well as homeowners keeping curbs and stormwater drains swept throughout the year, is key to keeping our waters healthy.

Weather permitting, we will begin street sweeping on Monday, March 29 and expect to be completed in approximately three to four days. The City attempts to clean all city streets twice per year (spring and fall). The spring sweep is intended to remove sediment and debris that has accumulated throughout the winter. If not cleaned, sediment and leaves will inhibit storm water facilities, and anything that goes down a storm drain flows directly to the nearest waterbody. Decomposing plant material in the water encourages the growth of harmful aquatic plants and algae. Street sweeping collects debris before it enters the storm water system, and the debris is hauled to an approved landfill.

Mendota Heights contracts its street sweeping operations to a local contractor. The contractor uses multiple sweepers (typically four to six) to clear the streets in a short period of time. Due to the quick operation and multitude of sweepers, detailed schedules are unable to be determined.

When sweepers are in the neighborhood, residents can help by doing the following:

• Keep all vehicles off of the street until sweepers have cleaned both sides of the street
• Remind neighbors to keep vehicles off of the street until sweepers are finished
• Keep trash cans behind the curb on collection day
• DO NOT push/rake leaves, grass, or other debris into the street – from your yard or from adjacent yards. This is illegal and prohibited by City Code.

The City removes what falls or is blown naturally on the hard surfaces before they can clog both storm grates and pipes, which can contribute to back-ups and/or flooding. With the help of residents who clean up yards and open areas, in conjunction with the fall sweep, our community will be set for spring runoff and be a cleaner, safer place to live. Additionally, throughout the year residents can help by cleaning/sweeping out catch basins on their streets, and sweeping grass clippings back into their yards after mowing.

For questions please contact Public Works at 651-454-4059.

This press release was produced by the City of Mendota Heights. The views expressed here are the author’s own.