PITTSBURGH (PTTP) – The City of Pittsburgh resumed street sweeping on Apr. 1.
To make way for sweepers, Pittsburgh drivers must move their cars when instructed by local street signage. In residential neighborhoods, like Oakland, sweepers visit once a month, with the exact date depending on the street. Sweepers operate between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Cars in violation risk receiving tickets from the Pittsburgh Parking Authority (PPA) or being towed. Last year, parking enforcement was streamlined by the introduction of “smart cameras” to PPA vehicles. These cameras scan and record license plate information for ticketing. According to the PPA List of Infractions, a street cleaning ticket will be $30.
However, students in Oakland have expressed frustration with the sweeping season.
“There’s also just like nowhere, really, in the area of my apartment to move my car,” said Jules Alvelo-Davies, a student at the University of Pittsburgh. “They don’t really make it easy, I think, for students, or anyone around here, to know where to put [cars] for street cleaning.”
Sabrina Hart, another student at Pitt, stated that while a lot of Oakland streets can’t handle the traffic students bring, cars are necessary in Pittsburgh.
“Navigating around each neighborhood [in Pittsburgh] individually without a car is doable… However, getting from neighborhood to neighborhood is entirely car dependent.”
Street cleaning may force residents to consider other forms of transportation.The Director of Urban Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Michael Glass, hopes this exposure may inspire alternatives to the city’s current design.
“It’s not always been the case that cars have been fundamental to the operation of a city,” Glass said. “It’s nice to think about the different options you can have moving forward.”
Street sweeping will continue until Nov. 30. Cleaning schedules can be found on local signage.