Mayor Walsh Announces DPW to Begin Overnight Leaf and Snow Removal
Published on November 01, 2023
DPW urges residents to bag leaves and keep them off roads
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The transition from fall to winter in the City of Syracuse is approaching. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced the Department of Public Works will launch its overnight shift for the late fall and winter months beginning on the night of Sunday, Nov. 5. Crews who are on duty to plow streets in the event of early morning snowfall will be deployed to pick up leaves on city streets.
“Syracuse can deliver any kind of weather this time of year. We know from past experience that our DPW must be prepared for early morning snowstorms, so this overnight staffing is essential,” said Mayor Walsh. “When there is no snow, it is a smart use of City resources to have those crews supplement our leaf collection efforts.”
The City provides leaf pickup as a service to residents in the months of November and December. It occurs during both the daytime and overnight. Leaf pick-up vehicles are equipped with audible beeps for safety, and some units can create scraping and banging noises when picking up loose leaves and branches.
“We apologize for the overnight disruptions that occur when crews come to pick up leaves. We ask residents to bear with us as we work to get all the leaves before they create fall and winter flooding or impede our snowplows. Putting leaves in bags allows our crews to pick them up quickly and quietly, without having to back vehicles up over and over to scrape up loose leaves,” said Jeremy Robinson, Commissioner of Public Works.
Residents are urged to place all leaves in paper bags and to never put leaves in the roadway. Leaves must be placed between the sidewalk and curb and must be separated from all other waste. Leaves cannot block fire hydrants, poles, trees, vents or catch basins.
“One of the biggest contributors of flooding in the fall and winter is leaves that are placed in the roadway,” said Commissioner Robinson. “They block catch basins, fill our underground sewer mains constricting water flow and subject some properties to sewer backups.”
Residents can also use the City of Syracuse yard waste drop-off site located at 1200 Canal Street Extension. The site is on the access road to the DPW complex, accessible from South Midler Avenue between Interstate 690 and Erie Boulevard. Residents can drop off brush, branches, and leaves. Plastic bags are not permitted. The drop-off site operates from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.