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1. When does street cleaning take place?

Street cleaning takes place each year in the Spring, at the end of March or the beginning of April. The schedule of dates will be posted each year at the end of March.

2. Why does the city clean the streets?

The streets are cleaned each year after winter months to clear debris from roadways to mitigate flooding caused by clogged storm sewers, and to make the streets cleaner for our residents and visitors. 

3. How will I know when my street is being cleaned?

There are several ways to find out when your street will be cleaned:

• Sign up for TC SIREN and be sure to add Street Cleaning notifications to your subscriptions. A general reminder will be sent out, followed by targeted messaging based on your address to alert you of when the street you live on will be cleaned. 
• Streets will be posted as "No Parking Zones" 24-hours in advance of their scheduled cleaning. The posted signs are intended for the entire block, so please do not think you are safe by parking in between them. 
• The street cleaning schedule will be posted to the city's website on the Street Cleaning Page in the days leading up to operations beginning. This information will also be published by local media, as well as on city's Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

4. My car was towed- now what?

If your car was removed to accommodate street cleaning, the first step is to call local dispatch to see what lot your vehicle was towed to. Several independent tow companies have contracts with the city, and all charge a scheduled fee of $200, followed by a daily storage fee, so the sooner you can get your vehicle back the better! Please note that some tows require winching, or other special operations that will be charged as outlined on the fee schedule here.

Call 607-272-3245, be ready to relay information about your vehicle and what street it was removed from. They will provide you with the name of the company and a contact phone number to call to arrange for pick up of your vehicle. Please be aware that towing companies only accept cash payment. The tow companies are under agreement with the city to not exceed charges outlined here. Please be sure to obtain a copy of your towing bill, especially if you feel you were charged incorrectly. If you find that you were charged incorrectly for your tow, please alert the city clerk's office by emailing them at clerk@cityofithaca.org; or calling 607-274-6570

Your tow will be accompanied by a ticket from the city. You can view, & pay your ticket here, as well as see images of your vehicle at the time of ticketing.