There’s a lot of leaves on our city sidewalks this week. A lot. It seems like D.C.’s leaves really started changing and falling only last week, and now this week, there’s a blanket of them. You can (and should!) help get the area directly in front of your house, including your yard and the sidewalk, free of leaves by following these instructions from the Department of Public Works.

• 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.
• Do not park cars on top of a leaf pile — it may ignite leaves.
• Please be patient — DPW will collect everything.

Before you rake, though, make sure to check and see when the next leaf collection will take place in your neighborhood. DPW maintains a searchable leaf collection map which gives you a timeframe of when leaf collectors will come by your house next.

If you don’t want to wait until the next free leaf collection in your ‘hood, you can also drive bagged leaves up to the Fort Totten Transfer Station (4900 Bates Road NE), anytime from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Photo by picture prefect