Public Services

The Department of Public Services (DPS) is asking residents to “Show Their Pride, Move Their Ride” on their scheduled sweeping days.

Street sweeping plays a critical role in keeping Cincinnati’s streets, air, and water clean. A clean street keeps storm drains clear of debris, helps prevent localized street flooding due to clogged catch basins, and prevents pollutants from reaching the waterways.  Street sweeping works best when the sweepers can sweep from curb to curb. Basketball hoops, garbage cans, vehicles, and trailers left in the street prevent the sweeper from hugging the curb and performing the most effective sweeping possible.

DPS’ sweeping program consists of five street sweepers and five dirt trucks, sweeping City streets once per month on static routes. The sweepers simultaneously mist the street, while rotating brooms sweep debris and dust into the hopper (unit). When the hopper is full, the contents are transferred to a dirt truck to be taken to a landfill.

Scheduled routes are subject to changes due to weather, staffing, and equipment. 

Here are some ways for residents to remember their street-sweeping days:

• Click on this LINK and enter a property address.

• Download the free ‘311Cincy’ mobile app, available on Apple and Android devices. Open the app, click “Service Dates,” and review your scheduled sweeping date.

Help DPS keep our streets clean:

• Move your vehicles in order to facilitate the sweepers’ access to the street gutter on the scheduled sweeping day – parked cars prevent a clean sweep.

• Be a ‘Cincy Pride Good Neighbor’ and remind your friends and neighbors to move their vehicles on sweeping days.

• Remove items from the curb on sweeping days.

• Trim low-hanging branches on your street – the sweepers are 10.6 feet tall, and the trucks that accompany them are 12 feet tall.

• Please do not rake, pile, or blow debris, leaves, or tree branches into the street or the storm drain.

Things to Know:

• Please note that certain circumstances may prevent us from sweeping streets thoroughly, such as parked cars, weather, staffing, and equipment issues.

• DPS employees will not be sweeping on city holidays. A list of city holidays can be found via this LINK.

• Sweeper operators must avoid large piles of debris that can hide heavy objects, which can damage the sweeper.

Street Sweeping FAQs

• Does the City sweep private streets?

The City does NOT provide street sweeping on private streets.

• Why didn’t the sweeper pick up all of the leaves on my street?

Sweepers are not designed to pick up large quantities of leaves. Large quantities of leaves will clog sweeper filters, spreading the leaves over a large area.

• Why did the sweeper fail to sweep random areas on my street?

Sweepers may have found it necessary to maneuver around vehicles parked on the street.

• Why does the sweeper make multiple passes on my street?

The sweeper operator may have determined that the first pass did not sufficiently clean the curb line.

• Can I put in a request to sweep my street?

DPS’s street sweeping program requires a systematic approach whereby sweepers follow scheduled routes to maintain streets. Therefore, requests for sweeping individual streets will not be taken unless a condition exists that DPS’ believes will create a health or safety concern.

• How will holidays affect sweeping?

DPS will not be shifting the sweeping schedule to accommodate City holidays. If your sweeping day falls on an observed holiday, it will be swept during the next available opportunity (typically, the end of the month).