Philadelphia expands street sweeping to Frankford, Kensington, Strawberry Mansion

Philly street sweeping expands: What to know about new areas

Philadelphia's street sweeping initiative resumes and expands to more neighborhoods, with weekly service and new enforcement measures.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia’s annual street sweeping program started again Monday, April 6, and city crews say they are expanding the number of blocks covered this year, including new areas in Frankford, Kensington and Strawberry Mansion.

Street sweeping resumes and expands to more neighborhoods

What we know:

The city’s mechanical street sweepers will operate every week, Monday through Thursday, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. across Philadelphia, according to city crews. 

The program now includes expanded coverage in Frankford, Kensington and Strawberry Mansion.

Residents in South Philadelphia welcomed the return of the sweepers, with some saying it helps keep their neighborhoods clean. 

"We need this in our community, cleanup, try to help the city become clean and what not," said Celeste Taylor, a South Philly resident.

The city is asking residents to move their vehicles, so sweepers can do their job, but some people are not following the posted signs. 

"If people would read that and pay attention because it’s all going to benefit the community, but people are just different now so, they give me the keys to their cars I’ll move all of the cars," said Jermaine Opatr, a South Philly resident.

The city will issue warnings for parking violations through April 16. 

The Philadelphia Parking Authority is set to start ticketing drivers who do not move their vehicles beginning the week of April 20.

Why you should care:

Mayor Parker’s administration says the street sweeping program is part of a larger effort to make Philadelphia "the cleanest, greenest, safest big city in America," said Crystal Jacobs Shipman, Sanitation Commissioner for the City of Philadelphia. 

"We are basically bringing that cleaning right in front of folks homes," said Shipman.

Some residents were unsure about the program at first but noticed improvements after the sweepers came through. 

"I just had cataract surgery but I still can see that it looks nice," said James Beckham, a South Philly resident.

The service will continue weekly across the city until the end of October. 

Residents can check the Streets Department’s interactive map on the city website to find out when crews will be in their neighborhood.

The backstory:

The annual return of mechanical street sweepers is considered a sign of spring in Philadelphia. 

The program is designed to keep city streets cleaner and encourage residents to take pride in their neighborhoods.

The city is working with residents to ensure the program’s success, but officials say everyone needs to participate by moving their vehicles and following posted signs.

What we don't know:

The city has not provided details about how many additional blocks are covered this year or how the expanded areas were selected. 

It is also unclear how many warnings or tickets have been issued so far.