On Monday, the city's Department of Public Works began phasing in new mechanical street-sweeping schedules that will result in some neighborhood streets being cleaned twice a month, rather than the usual four or five times per month.
The changes are to be phased in through December and are expected to trim the department's $13 million annual mechanical street-sweeping budget by about $1 million, according to department spokeswoman Christine Falvey.
Falvey said the program is also designed to make street sweeping more efficient, with a reduced need for cleaning every week in areas where "there's not a lot of litter generation going on."
The changes mean some residents won't have to move their cars as often for street cleaning.
Street cleaning in commercial and downtown areas, as well as dense residential neighborhoods, will not be affected.
The first phase of the program will affect parts of the Marina, Pacific Heights, Richmond, Presidio Heights, Laurel Heights and Jordan Park neighborhoods.
Further schedule reductions are planned for streets in the Diamond Heights, Forest Hill, Glen Park, Ingleside, Japantown, Lakeside, Noe Valley, Parkside, Park Merced, St. Francis Wood, Sunset and West Portal neighborhoods.
Mailers are being sent to residents of the affected neighborhoods, and city workers are in the process of change about 15,000 street-sweeping signs citywide on about 8,500 blocks, Falvey said.
Falvey said there has so far been very little negative feedback from residents, and that the department would be monitoring the program to make changes if needed.
