Spring street sweeping begins today in Greater Sudbury

Street sweeping will begin in the Ramsey Lake watershed, high-priority drainage areas and sidewalks in busy pedestrian zones. Operations will expand citywide by the end of May. (Supplied)

The annual removal of the large amount of sand placed on roads in Greater Sudbury during the winter begins May 11.

Officials said street sweeping will begin in the “Ramsey Lake watershed, high-priority drainage areas and sidewalks in busy pedestrian zones.”

“Operations will expand citywide by the end of May,” the city said in a news release.

“Sidewalk sweeping and manual sweeping are already underway in select areas.”

Residents can track progress using the street sweeping status map available here.

The interactive map shows where sweeping is scheduled, in progress and complete, and is updated daily.

3,000 km of roadway to be cleaned

Timelines may change due to weather and operational conditions.

Each spring, crews clean more than 3,000 kilometres of roadway, including sidewalks, bridges, bike lanes and medians. Work begins in the Ramsey Lake drinking water source protection area, followed by main roads and high traffic areas across the city.

Sweeping typically requires multiple passes, and several days may pass between the first and final sweep of a street. Operations run 24 hours a day during the spring season.

To help the street sweeping process, residents are urged to avoid overnight parking, remove basketball and hockey nets from the roadway and don’t place garbage, recycling or green carts on roads or sidewalks.

“Instead, place them in a visible area that does not block sweepers,” the city said.

“Do not put leaves, grass or other debris on roads or sidewalks. Sweep sand from your driveway or yard into a thin layer on the road if needed, to avoid clogging equipment.”

Some noise and dust are expected during sweeping operations. The city thanks residents for their patience and cooperation as crews complete this seasonal work.