Streets

Leaf Pickup

The City of Spokane Street Maintenance Division removes fallen leaves from the streets to prevent hazardous conditions. The dates for leaf pickup vary each season depending upon when the majority of leaves have dropped. Media announcements will be made to notify the public that leaf pickup operations will begin. After commencement, this operation takes four to six weeks. Please remove your cars from the streets to aid in the pickup.

Progress Map

The City's Street Leaf pickup service is intended only for leaves which fall naturally into the streets. Please do not place leaves from your yards into the street.

The leaves that fall in your yard are your responsibility. Please contact 311 or the City Solid Waste Department for Yard Waste Collection rates and schedules.

Important Note: Not all neighborhoods will have Street Sweepers come through following the initial "Leaf Pushing Crew". Only those that live on "Packer Crew" Leaf routes will be accompanied by Street Sweepers several days to a week behind the "Leaf Pushing Crew".

1. Packer Crew: In areas with very heavy leaf fall, a six-to-seven-person crew will use large rubber tires mounted to Skidsteers & Bobcats to push leaves down the curb-line to designated leaf piles at various residential intersections. Using a "rubber-bladed" pusher, mounted to a large CAT Front Loader, those large leaf piles will then be pushed into Rear-Loader Garbage Trucks (called a Packer). Once full, those "Packers" will take the leaves to the Waste-to-Energy Plant for recycling. When weather, time and resources permit, Street Sweepers will follow behind this operation. **Be patient; it could be several days to a week before you see the Street Sweeping Crew. This operation may take place between the hours of 7:00am to 10:00pm.
2. Clamshell Crew: In areas with moderate to mildly heavy leaf fall, a two-to-three-person crew will use a Front-Loader with a clamshell bucket attachment to scoop areas of leaves. Then those leaves are dumped into a Dump Truck, which then takes it to the Waste-to-Energy Plant for recycling. **This crew does NOT use Street Sweepers. However, if time, weather conditions and resources permit, we may send a Street Sweeping Crew to selectively sweep some of the heavier areas in the route. This operation may take place between the hours of 7:00am to 3:00pm.
3. Hand-Pick Crew: In areas with light leaf fall and mostly pine needles, several two person crews in Dump Trucks with hand tools (pitch forks, leaf rakes and shovels) will drive the neighborhoods scooping up small piles of leaves and pine needles and throwing into the back of dump trucks. **This crew does NOT use Street Sweepers. However, if time, weather conditions and resources permit, we may send a Street Sweeping Crew to selectively sweep some of the heavier areas in the route. This operation may take place after the hours of 10:00pm to 9:30am.

Side Note:

1. The posted Leaf Pickup Schedule has "Estimated" start and finish dates. Those dates will be adjusted over the course of the Leaf Pickup operation due to weather conditions and resources.
2. Please check the "Leaf Pickup Progress Map", which is updated daily by the Street Department Radio Operator. This is the best source for which neighborhoods we are actively working.