DENVER (KDVR) — Spring has sprung and April is nearly upon us, which means that street sweeping season is about to begin in Denver.
Because April begins on a Saturday this year, the first official day the sweepers will be out is Tuesday, April 4.
After that, different streets will be swept each day. Then, the cycle repeats each month until the season ends in November.
You can receive a $50 ticket for not moving your car in time. You may also be towed, leading to more fines and costs.
In just the first three days of street sweeping season last year, Denver residents racked up a total of $338,600 in tickets.
How do I know when my street will be swept?
The most reliable way to know is by the signs posted along streets that say what day parking is prohibited from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for street sweeping.
Both sides of a street will not be swept on the same day, however.
For example, the east side of a street may be swept on the first Tuesday of a month, while the west side is swept on the first Wednesday of the month.
Depending on where you are located, your street may be swept during the second, third or fourth week of the month as well.
You can look up your address here to see what days each side of your street will be swept.
You can also use that website to sign up for email or text alerts for when you need to move your car for street sweeping.
Why do I have to move my car?
Besides avoiding fines, the City and County of Denver said on its website that street sweepers cannot effectively clean the streets to the curb if cars are there.
The general idea behind street sweeping, the city said, is to keep dirt and debris out of the air and water. It can also prevent localized flooding by preventing storm sewer inlets from becoming clogged.
Some neighborhoods are not swept to the curb, so cars are not required to be moved. If that is the case, there will not be any signs about prohibited parking for street sweeping.
Those neighborhoods will be swept at any point during a specific week, not a specific day.