Results tagged “departmentofpublicworks”

The D.C. Department of Public Works suspended street cleaning for the winter starting on Friday, Nov. 6, a fact which they did not announce until Monday, Nov. 9. On top of not getting the word out until the following Monday, it appears they didn't manage to let all of their parking enforcement officers know of the change on time, either. Several residents reported getting street-sweeping related tickets on Monday and Tuesday, which led to some fairly intense back-and-forths on various neighborhood email lists. Here's a sampling of what went down on Tuesday on the Columbia Heights community email list:

• "What is someone from DPW giving out incorrect information? folks in Columbia heights be on alert ... street cleaning doe snot end until Nov 20"
• "No. Street cleaning ended. It's just that the enforcement agencies didn't pay attention.
  Continue reading "Yes, Street Cleaning Really is Suspended for Winter as of Nov. 6"

The D.C. Department of Public Works finally got back to us on our question about what will be done with the 22 brand new ghost bikes that have been placed around the intersection of Connecticut and R Streets NW by activist Legba Carrefour ... kinda. Here's the boilerplate statement we received via email from DPW spokesperson Linda Grant:

"... the DC Department of Public Works is responsible for removing sidewalk memorials, which usually recognize residents who have died unexpectedly, and includes anything from flowers and stuffed animals to empty bottles of alcohol and bicycles. After 30 days, DPW removes all memorial items found at the site. As part of our policy, a sign is posted at the memorial to notify family and friends that they have 30 days to remove any personal effects."

This is a bit of a bogus response. The original Alice Swanson ghost bike was allowed to remain where it was for over a year before DPW removed it, so there are clearly exceptions to this 30 day rule. But what are they, and how are they applied? Not to mention, these 22 ghost bikes could very easily be interpreted as not being memorials to Alice Swanson, but rather protest art pieces to the action of city government in removing the original bike. Could not then DPW use that definition as a pretense to remove the new crop of bikes before 30 days is up?

D.C. Department of Public Works spokesperson Nancee Lyons sent out the message posted below to neighborhood email lists today.

Dear Neighbors,

Continue reading "DPW Threatening To Give 12,000 Residents the Boot"

Give thanks! The annual winter parking ticket reprieve, courtesy the D.C. Department of Public Works, finally arrives this Friday, when the city will suspend alternate-side residential street sweeping for the season. The official release is just about to be posted to the DPW web site, according to spokesperson Linda Grant, but here's the text from the announcement:

The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) announced today that weekly (signed), residential mechanical street cleaning will end for the season Friday, November 28, 2008. “No parking/street cleaning” restrictions will be lifted and motorists may park along posted, alternate-side, daytime street sweeping routes without being required to move their cars on street-cleaning days.

Continue reading "Street Sweeping Ends on Friday, Nov. 28"

• Rake leaves into a pile into the nearest tree box. (Leaves in the street create travel and parking hazards.)
• Put the pile(s) of leaves where DPW crews can easily vacuum them. Please avoid areas where there are parked cars or low-hanging trees.
• Bagged leaves should weigh no more than 60 pounds each.

An item we missed (hat tip WTOP) is that the District Department of Public Works sent around word late last week that trash and recycling collection days for many D.C. residents will change starting Dec. 1. Beginning this weekend, residents who will be affected by the changes will start seeing signs posted on their streets and receive doorknockers with the relevant details. A good clue as to whether your trash day might change: if you currently only get trash pickup once a week and also live within Wards 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8, your trash day is probably going to change. Keep an eye out for those signs and doorknockers.

An anonymous reader sent DCist a series of photos of a D.C. Department of Public Works garbage truck driving through a recreation field in Rose Park in Georgetown last Saturday. The tipster described the truck as having hopped the curb to gain access to the "grass of a children's play area" in the park, and wondered whether this was safe. No one was injured, but a baby carriage in the foreground of the images certainly drives the point home: should city garbage trucks really be driving across recreation areas where children might be running around, not paying attention?