Spring Clean-up street cleaning
The City’s street cleaning program removes sanding materials and debris that has accumulated on roads during the winter months.
The City uses a balanced approach with our Spring Clean-up Program while upholding safety and environmental considerations within communities. Sweeping reduces water pollution by preventing the run-off of sanding materials into our storm water system and reduces air pollution. Clean surfaces also help Calgarians use infrastructure more flexibly and to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
How you can help
The City street sweeping program cleans over 16,000 lane kilometres of paved roads, and getting the work done is a collaborative effort between The City and you. We would like to thank Calgarians, in advance, for their help in removing their cars from the street and their blue, black and green carts on to their lawns or grass boulevards when sweeping was scheduled on collection day.
Community Parking Bans
A parking ban is in effect when City of Calgary Street Sweeping community signs with “No Parking” symbols are placed around a community during Spring Clean-up. Typically, community parking bans occur between Monday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parking bans are enforced by Calgary Parking Authority. Any vehicle that has not been removed from the street in the area is subject to ticketing. Vehicles are also subject to be towed if the small 3-feet high "No Parking" signs are placed along the road. They will be placed at least a minimum of 24 hours prior to street sweeping.
If vehicles are towed:
- to a nearby space, the vehicle owner will be issued a street sweeping ticket.
- to an impound lot, the vehicle owner pays the ticket, tow, and impound fee.
| Payment date | Fine amount |
|---|---|
|
Paid after 30 days |
$120 |
|
Paid before 30 days |
$90 |
|
Paid within 10 days |
$80 |
(Source: Calgary Parking Authority)
Spring Clean-up FAQ
How can I find out when my street will be cleaned?
The City offers a number of ways to ensure you know when your street will be swept. Watch for signs in your community indicating when your street is scheduled for clean-up.
Sign-up to receive an email notification 24 hours before your street is scheduled to be swept. You must login or register with a myID account to sign up.
You can also use the address lookup above or Roads Virtual Agent, RoadBot by clicking on the red button at the bottom of the page.
What is Spring Clean-up?
Spring Clean-up is a city-wide street sweeping program that takes place in Spring every year. The City sweeps over 16,000 lane km of paved roads in a planned effort to keep the city clean and safe for pedestrians, motorists and cyclists. Spring Clean-up also reduces water pollution by preventing the run-off of sanding materials and debris from entering our water system.
When does street sweeping occur in Calgary?
How does weather affect Spring Clean-up?
The weather can affect the Spring Clean-up schedule. Sweeping activities are suspended in case of rain or snow. If we do experience a late spring snow event City crews will perform regular snow maintenance. If your day is missed due to weather, the scheduled date will be moved to a later date. We encourage everyone to sign-up to receive an email notification 24 hours before your street is scheduled to be swept. You must login or register with a myID account to sign up.
What can I do to help?
The City relies on the cooperation of vehicle owners when street sweeping is scheduled in your area. Watch for street cleaning signs, and remove vehicles, as well as other roadway obstructions such as garbage and recycling carts, from the roadway being swept. If sweeping date falls on collection day, please leave your bin on your lawn or grass boulevard, and do not block the sidewalk.
- Watch for signs in your community indicating when your road is scheduled for sweeping. Sign-up for street sweeping e-mail and text notifications.
- Remove vehicles from the road during the posted dates and times so that the road can be swept. Street sweeping parking bans are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on sweeping days. Vehicle owners may have to park outside the area of the road being swept.
- Move your vehicle to an area that will not obstruct the entrances to private property or impede access for emergency vehicles and garbage collection. Ensure plenty of clearance is available if parking in a back lane or alley.
- Blue, black and green carts left on the street can interfere with Spring Clean-up. Place your cart on the end of your driveway, on your lawn or grass boulevard next to the curb on collection day when your street is scheduled for sweeping. If your cart is picked up from a back lane, put it in the same place as normal. Make sure to leave at least one metre between the cart and surrounding objects.
- Be sure to remove non-standard, prohibited driveway ramps from the curb and gutter of a road that provides access to a front driveway onto private property. Please ensure any basketball nets are also removed from the roadway.
What can you do if you notice that debris has been left behind?
If debris is left behind on your street because a car or cart has not been moved and you want to be a good neighbour, you can sweep the debris yourself. If you decide to sweep missed debris yourself, please follow these suggestions from Waste & Recycling:
- Use garbage bags when cleaning up gravel, dust, rocks and other debris. Do not leave debris loose in your black cart. This will help keep the air free of dust and keep collection trucks clean as well.
- Heavy road debris needs to be double-bagged to avoid punctures and rips in the bags. Try to keep the weight down to under a 20kg (45 pound) weight limit and don't overload the black cart.
- For your collector’s safety, place all bagged debris inside your black cart for removal.
What if I leave my vehicle on the road during sweeping?
If you do not move your vehicle from the road when street cleaning is scheduled, you may receive a ticket and, in some cases, your vehicle can be towed.
A community-wide parking ban is in effect when Street Cleaning Community Signs with “No Parking” decals are placed around a community during Spring Clean-up. Residential street sweeping bans occurs Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Any vehicle that has not been removed from the street for the duration of the ban in the area is subject to ticketing.
Vehicles are subject to be ticketed and towed if the small 3-feet high "No Parking" signs are placed along the road. They will be placed at least 24 hours prior to street sweeping. If vehicles are towed:
- to a nearby space, the vehicle owner will be issued a street sweeping ticket.
- to an impound lot, the vehicle owner pays the ticket, tow, and impound fee.
Please follow on-street signage for street sweeping, as any vehicle that has not been removed is subject to ticketing and/or towing during the dates and times on posted signage. If the information in the online schedule differs from on-street signage, the posted signage prevails.
| Payment date | Fine amount |
|---|---|
|
Paid after 30 days |
$120 |
|
Paid before 30 days |
$90 |
|
Paid within 10 days |
$80 |
(Source: Calgary Parking Authority)
When the street cleaning signs are up and vehicles are still on the road, crews will sweep around vehicles.
I live in a new subdivision and my road did not get cleaned. Why not?
Subdivision roadways are the responsibility of the developer until they receive a Final Acceptance Certificate (FAC) from The City of Calgary. At that time, The City assumes responsibility for maintaining the subdivision’s roads.
What do I do if street cleaning falls on garbage collection day?
If you have front street collection, place your blue, black and green carts on the end of your driveway or grass boulevard or your lawn next to the curb on collection day. Once street cleaning is complete, you can put your carts out as normal on collection day.
Does The City sweep back lanes?
Back lanes are not part of The City’s annual street sweeping program.
Will The City be cleaning winter sanding materials off sidewalks and boulevards?
City crews clean sanding materials off sidewalks and boulevards on major roads only.
Street Sweeping Alerts
Sign-up to receive email and/or text message notification 24 hours before your street is scheduled to be swept.
Street Sweeping Map
The Calgary Street Sweeping Map shows sweep route locations and the progress of scheduled or completed routes within Calgary.
Deerfoot Trail and Stoney Trail
Cleaning and maintenance of Deerfoot Trail and Stoney Trail is the responsibility of the Alberta Government.
NW Gravel Hauling Road sweeping
The City of Calgary is partnered with Alberta Sand and Gravel Association to sweep certain roads along gravel hauling routes in NW Calgary. This sweeping is funded by Community Aggregate Pavement (CAP) Levy, and is performed overnight, four nights a week through the fall.
RoadBot Freedom of Information Policy statement
The personal information collected herein is authorized under Section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act of Alberta, and will be used for the purpose of the Spring Cleanup Program regarding residential street sweeping. Should you have questions about the use of your information, please contact FOIP Program Administrator at P.O Box 2100, Station M, Calgary, Alberta T2P 2M5 or via phone 403-312-4015.
Find out more about how The City protects your personal information.