Montgomery County Roadways To Receive Spring-Cleaning

Header--Montgomery County, Maryland. Press Releases

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Contact: John Thompson, 240-777-7623
Esther Bowring, 240-777-6530

For Immediate Release: March 16, 2000

Montgomery County Roadways
To Receive Spring-Cleaning

Montgomery County's roadways will be getting a spring-cleaning. Beginning Monday, March 27, the County will launch a 10-12 week street-sweeping program that is slated to cover approximately 2,000 miles of County roads.

The effort is intended to remove abrasives and other debris left behind after the winter snow season, and to improve the appearance and safety of County streets. Based on past results, County officials expect the effort will help to recover more than 2,500 tons of material.

"After the snow storms in January, our roads are badly in need of a cleanup," said Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan. "Our street-sweeping effort will help not only to improve the look of our neighborhoods, but also to protect the environment."

Removing salt and sand abrasives, and other debris, from road surfaces helps to keep drainage systems clean. It also helps to reduce pollutants that flow into local tributaries and, eventually, into the Chesapeake Bay.

The County Department of Public Works and Transportation's Division of Highway Services has contracted with Reilly's Streetsweeping, Inc. to conduct the cleanup operations at a cost of approximately $300,000. Work will begin in the Bethesda area, before moving to other parts of the county in a counterclockwise direction.

Brightly colored signs will be posted in neighborhoods a few days before street sweeping begins. Residents are urged to find alternative parking during sweeping to improve the quality of service and the effectiveness of the sweeping program.

Daily updates of which areas are scheduled for street-sweeping will be provided on County Cable 55, during the morning and afternoon rush hours, when the channel provides live coverage of local traffic conditions. Internet users can also find information on the schedule by logging on the Department of Public Works and Transportation's web page at www.dpwt.com.

For more information, contact the Montgomery County Division of Highway Services at 240-777-7623.

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