Starting at 3 a.m. weekdays, two city employees in new street sweeping vehicles are hard at work removing debris from well-traveled roadways throughout Daytona Beach. The process of cleaning streets is not only for aesthetic purposes, it also helps keep sediment, leaves, trash and pollutants out of the stormwater system, which ultimately travels to the Halifax River and other waterways. One of the best ways to prevent pollutants from entering local waterways is to remove them from streets before wind and water carry them into storm drains. Street sweeping also helps prevent localized street flooding due to clogged catch basins.
For years, the city contracted with an outside street sweeping vendor at an annual cost of about $354,830; however, servicing parking lots, the downtown and tourist areas and curbed streets often fell short. Additional servicing needed during and after special events and emergencies became difficult to schedule. To bring the essential service in-house, two personnel positions were created and the city purchased a Multihog sweeper for sidewalks and areas like the boardwalk and two heavy-duty Ravo 5 iSeries street sweepers earlier this year.
How much debris is collected?
Each week, about 70 cubic yards of sand and debris are removed from Daytona Beach’s roadways. To put the amount in perspective, 70 cubic yards would fill the beds of 28 full-size pickup trucks.
Which streets are cleaned and how often?
All public streets with concrete curbs and gutters are cleaned. It is estimated that crews will sweep more than 12,000 miles of roadways each year.
Weekly: Major arterial roads and city-owned parking lots:
- International Speedway Blvd.
- Ridgewood Ave.
- Beville Road
- Nova Road
- Clyde Morris Blvd.
- Beach Street
- Main Street
- Oakridge Blvd.
- Seabreeze Blvd.
- Mason Ave.
Twice a month: Collector roads:
- Dr. MLK Blvd.
- Orange Ave.
- Dr. MMB Blvd.
- Silver Beach Ave.
- Bellevue Ave.
- White Street
- Halifax Ave.
- Peninsula Ave.
Every 4 to 6 weeks: All curbed, public streets in residential areas, which averages about nine times annually. Sweeping in residential areas takes place after 7 a.m.
How residents can help:
- Collect litter and trash around property, rather than sweeping these items into the street or gutter
- Do not rake or blow tree limbs or leaves into streets
- Move parked cars from roads on street sweeping day
For more information about the city’s program, call (386) 671-8554.