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Street Sweeping
The City’s dedicated street sweepers—Oscar and Sweep Caroline—and the operators who run them work hard to keep more than 178 lane miles throughout the city clean. Together, they remove more than 1,400 cubic yards of debris each year, clearing leaves, pine needles, paper, and other litter that can clog gutters and contribute to flooding during heavy rains. Street sweeping also improves air quality by capturing fine particles and enhances water quality by preventing pollutants—from vehicle residue to pesticides and other toxins—from washing into our rivers, ponds, and local waterways.
Thanks to our street sweepers, both our transportation system and our natural environment stay cleaner, healthier, and better protected.
Sweeping Schedule
To keep service fair and consistent, the street sweeping program does not take individual residential requests. Street sweepers will only be re-routed on an emergency basis.
Our sweepers work zone by zone, on a regular rotation, typically Monday to Friday (and some weekends). They don’t sweep on trash days in each zone. Below is a map of the street sweeping zones.
During spring and summer, our sweepers can sweep the entire city in one week. In the fall and winter, when there is heavy leaf fall and pine needles, it takes about one week to complete one zone.
How You Can Help
Lake Oswego City Code prohibits blowing, sweeping, raking, or otherwise depositing debris – including leaves - onto sidewalks or streets.
Big piles of leaves might seem harmless, but they damage our street sweepers and block storm drains—leading to flooding and water pollution. When they encounter thick, wet piles, the machinery clogs and breaks down, delaying service for everyone.
Do your part to keep the streets and sweepers running smoothly:
- Keep leaves, grass clippings and pine needles out of streets and sidewalks
- Sweep debris off storm drains near your home
- Compost or mulch your leaves into your lawn
- Use your weekly yard debris container or take them to a drop site
For more helpful tips on leaf clean up, visit this page.
