(Nov. 6, 2019) The Portland Bureau of Transportation announced today that Leaf Day service will return Thursday, Nov. 7, preventing street flooding in areas that account for the vast majority of leaves that fall on city streets.
The service continues, covering a few neighborhoods each day, seven days a week, through Dec. 20, with a break for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend Nov. 28 to 30. In the last two weeks, PBOT mailed more than 30,000 brochures to residents of the 52 leaf districts, reminding them how the service works and providing schedule information.
It's important for everyone who lives or works in a Leaf District to know how to prepare for Leaf Day:
- Know your Leaf Day: Check our Leaf Day website, including Frequently Asked Questions. To verify what District you are in, and confirm your service dates, enter your address in our Leaf District Locator on the website.
- Get prepared by raking your leaves and moving your vehicle off the street, or out of the district.
- Don't get towed: If you park a car on the street in Northwest Portland, Goose Hollow or Sullivan's Gulch, your car may be towed on Leaf Day to clear the way for a clean sweep.
Sign up for weekly email or text reminders about the next week's Leaf Day service dates and districts
View and zoom in on all Leaf Day districts, and find your Leaf Day, on our
interactive Leaf Day map
For decades, the bureau has collected leaves and swept streets in designated Leaf Districts, locations that account for the vast majority of leaves that fall on city streets. In 2010, the bureau started charging a fee for the service to recover the city's costs during the Great Recession. The fee never covered the cost of the service, and was discontinued in 2018.
Leaf Day, leaf removal is funded through general transportation dollars, much like other services such as snow and ice removal, pothole repairs and roadside vegetation clean-up.
PBOT crews sweep all residential streets once a year, and in areas with the most street trees, their annual sweep is during their Leaf Day service. PBOT also sweeps the city's major arterial streets three to four times a year -- at night, when there is less traffic and fewer parked cars and other obstructions.
Leaves create slick hazards, clog storm drainsPortland's tree canopy covers a significant portion of the city. In autumn, wet fallen leaves can become very slick, creating potential hazards for people walking, biking, rolling or driving through tree-lined neighborhoods. Leaves can also clog storm drains and thus contribute to street flooding during heavy fall rains. To help address these hazards, city crews have been removing thousands of cubic yards of leaves from Portland streets for more than three decades.
For the most part, Leaf Day service will be the same as years past. Starting Nov. 7, PBOT crews will remove leaves in 52 leaf districts across the city. Residents in the leaf districts should move their cars and other obstacles from the street and limb their street trees to clear the way for large trucks prior to their Leaf Day service to facilitate a more effective clean-up.
Moving your vehicle is NOT OPTIONAL in the following Leaf Day districts, where residents have asked us for many years to tow vehicles because of the high number of cars parked on Leaf Day:
- Northwest: Districts NW 2, NW 3, NW 4, NW 6, NW 7, NW 8 and NW 9
- Southwest: Districts SW 1 and SW 2
- Sullivan's Gulch in Northeast: District NE 14
Sign up for weekly email or text alerts that will remind you of upcoming Leaf Day service in tow districts
Questions?
Call our Leaf Line at (503) 865-LEAF (5323) between the hours of 9 AM - 5 PM, Monday through Friday. We're ready to help with clear answers and additional resources.
You can also email us at leafday@portlandoregon.gov
Preguntas? Вопросы? câu hỏi? (503) 865-LEAF (5323)
Leaf Day
###
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the City’s transportation system, and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility. Learn more at www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation