By William Hinkle
BEACON HILL -- Last summer, the dirt began to clear. Thanks in large part to the Public Works Department's increased efforts to tow illegally parked cars, street-sweeping machines known as the Green Machine could reach the curb, sweeping more trash and debris.
Because street sweeping has improved, the Beacon Hill Civic Association has proposed a year-round street-sweeping program for all its streets.
"The Beacon Hill Civic Association is encouraging the city to investigate the possibility of year-round street sweeping on Beacon Hill," said Ross Levanto, a 32-year-old Myrtle Street resident who is also the association's vice president of neighborhood affairs.
The street-sweeping schedule varies throughout Boston. On Beacon Hill, Beacon and Charles streets are cleaned every night, all year long. Interior streets such as Chestnut, Phillips and Revere are cleaned every other week, from 8 a.m. until noon on different days, and are only cleaned from April 1 through the end of November.
Levanto, also the former chair of the association's Clean Beacon Hill Committee, said the Green Machine is as effective as 10 people and consistently reached the curb this summer because cars were not in the way as often. Trash and debris have become more apparent on the streets this winter, making year-round street sweeping more desired.
Year-round street sweeping would also help with snow removal in the winter, because snow plows will have easier access if cars are moved in compliance with street-sweeping signs, Levanto said.
Will Onuoha, City Hall's neighborhood liaison for Beacon Hill, said the Public Works Department lacks the manpower to implement year-round street sweeping, because the same people who drive the Green Machine drive snow plows and fix potholes.
"Which would take priority?" Onuoha asked. "We could hire more people, but then we would have to increase the budget, which poses the question, who would pay for it?"
The Green Machine is also ineffective in the snow, Levanto said. The Public Works Department would have to decide whether to cancel street sweeping if it snows and how it would notify residents of the cancellation.
"I want to live somewhere that has clean streets," said Andrew Birosak, a 26-year-old Myrtle Street resident. "But not being able to park where I want is a nuisance. Unless the sweeping times are convenient for us residents to find alternative parking, year-round street sweeping might be more trouble than its worth."