If we could honestly see any down side to the sudden rise of spring in Washington (and really, I sat outside last night in a friend’s backyard — is there anything better than that?), we suppose the sudden return of parking tickets for three hour intervals on alternate sides of the street would be it.

And obviously, regarding the accompanying photo, it’s not that kind of sweeping. But it’s tough not to have a cheery disposition with weather like this, and this gent just seemed so much friendlier than an image of a hulking, exhaust-spewing street cleaning vehicle. From DC.gov:

Daylight saving time is coming and so is mechanical street sweeping in the District’s most heavily trafficked neighborhoods, starting Monday, March 26, 2007. Also, alternate-side parking restrictions in these areas will return. Parking tickets, which carry a $30 fine, will be issued, beginning April 2, to vehicles parked during street sweeping hours in areas posted with “No Parking/Street Cleaning” signs. Additionally, parked cars may be towed to allow the sweepers access to the curbside. Generally, parking is prohibited for two hours while sweeping is underway.

Weekly street cleaning routes can be found across the city in high-density neighborhoods, especially areas with significant foot traffic, such as Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle and parts of Capitol Hill.

So, booo! to more parking tickets. Or, yay! to cleaner streets — though we’ve taken note of the pervasive skepticism among our readers as how regularly city streets are actually cleaned. Either way you look at it, it’s probably best to start obeying all parking regulations again now, so as not to forget after March 26 when enforcement begins again.

Also, since our post reminding you to shovel your snow was so popular, we can’t help but point out the final note in the city’s release: “District law requires property owners to sweep or keep the area in front of their homes or businesses clean 18 inches from the curb line into the street.” Did you know that?