Keep Streets Clean This Fall - Move Your Car on Designated Street Cleaning Days and Help Us Avoid Towing

In April 2023, City of Cambridge implemented a one-year street cleaning pilot program designed to evaluate the effectiveness of its street cleaning operations, while seeking to reduce the impacts of towing on residents. During this pilot program, vehicles were not towed, though residents were asked to continue to move their vehicles accordingly, following the posted street cleaning schedule. Parking tickets issued for street cleaning were raised from $30 to $50.

We have seen a significant surge in street cleaning tickets issued, with the number of tickets issued continuing to increase each month. In August and September of this year, the number of street cleaning tickets issued (i.e., vehicles not moving) more than doubled compared to 2022. In order for street cleaning to remain tow-free residents must move their vehicles on designated street cleaning days. 

One of the main purposes of street cleaning is to remove debris from the streets to help improve stormwater quality. It’s important for the sweepers to be able to directly access the curb to most efficiently remove material, especially in the fall with so many leaves on the ground. The rise in parking violations has been a growing concern this fall season. If leaves aren’t swept up, they can become a source of pollution to rivers. This is because leaves leach nutrients into stormwater runoff as they break down (like a tea bag steeping in water), which leads to excess nutrients and lower water quality. Leaves in the street can also clog storm drains and increase flooding issues.

In addition to street sweepers, crews will be utilizing leaf blowers through the end of the year to sweep around vehicles. 

Cambridge residents are encouraged to play their part in maintaining clean streets. We ask for your help in continuing to collect leaves from the sidewalk and the curb in front of your home or business. By collecting leaves for yard waste collection, you’re helping to prevent street flooding, reduce stormwater pollution impacts, and reduce our impact on the climate.

To sign up to receive email or text reminders about your street cleaning schedule, view and download your complete street cleaning schedule for the year, or import the schedule to your digital calendar visit: CambridgeMA.Gov/StreetCleaning.

The City of Cambridge will evaluate this program’s effectiveness throughout the pilot year and encourages residents to provide feedback throughout the pilot by filling out a survey at Camb.ma/streetcleaning2023.