Philadelphia's street sweeping program may mean moving your car

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Mayor Jim Kenney has pledged to expand Philadelphia's street sweeping program to every neighborhood by 2023.

Now, part of the pilot program includes a new rollout of alternate-side parking rules so street sweepers can make their way through to clean.

In April 2019, the Streets Department utilized a skinnier street sweeper and employees armed with leaf blowers to compile and vacuum up litter.

The pilot program targeted six residential areas:

• West Philadelphia - Parkside Ave. to Lancaster Ave., from 52nd St. to Girard Ave.
• Southwest - Woodland Ave. to Kingsessing Ave., from 49th St. to Cemetery Ave.
• Kensington - 2nd St. to Aramingo Ave., from Tioga St. to Lehigh Ave.
• Strawberry Mansion - Sedgley St. to Lehigh Ave., from 29th St. to 33rd St.
• Logan - Godfrey Ave. to Roosevelt Blvd., from Broad. St to 5th St.
• South Philadelphia - McKean St. to Oregon Ave., from 4th St. to 8th St.

A newly released Streets Department report shows that 96% of the residents who lived in the pilot areas would suggest expanding that program.

Now comes the next step which will affect some drivers in Philadelphia. The roll-out of a traditional street sweeping program, with alternate-side parking rules enforced.

"It's for the greater good of all, I don't know exactly where the streets are yet, but if you don't move your car you will be towed," said Mayor Kenney. "If they can move their cars in Manhattan once a week, it's harder to park your car in Manhattan than it is in Philly."

Sharmen Clark of South Philadelphia says lack of parking can be a pain, "It causes me to park five blocks away every night."

But cleaner streets is worth moving the car, "Maybe my walk wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to step over so much trash," she says.

Others say congestion may make the street sweeping roll out difficult.

"That may junk up parking a little bit because some of the streets they park in the middle of the street also, so I could go either way," says Etienne Cicilia of South Philadelphia.

Details about the exact neighborhoods which will be enrolled in the street sweeping alternate-side parking program will be announced in April.