Spring street cleaning in Calgary to begin April 3

The annual spring cleaning of Calgary streets is set to begin April 3.

Crews will work seven days a week in residential areas and four nights a week along major routes.

More snow than usual fell in the city over the winter months, meaning crews had to use more gravel, salt and other material than usual, so there's more to clean up, said roads department spokesperson Brittany Kustra.

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"It was not just increased snowfall but also colder temperatures," she said. "We actually put down 54,000 tonnes of pickle mixture this year ... that's compared to 25,000 tonnes used last winter, so more than double."

Pickle mixture is gravel, sand and salt spread on roadways during the winter months to give motorists better traction.

Signs will be placed in neighbourhoods reminding residents when parked vehicles will have to be moved so crews can work. Residents can also visit the city's website to see when their area is scheduled.

"It really is important, this is an environmental initiative," said Kustra on the need for vehicles to be moved out of the way. "The faster we can sweep and the more effective we can sweep, that means less material going into our storm drains and into our water system."

Vehicles left parked on streets slated for sweeping will be be ticketed and possibly towed.

Tickets are $120 each but are reduced to $80 if paid within 10 days and $90 if paid within 30 days, said Kustra.

Vehicles are typically towed to a nearby location but could be taken to the city impound.

Residents in neighbourhoods where the garbage collection day falls on the same day as street sweeping are asked to leave their bins on the curb or boulevard rather than the street.

Kustra said crews hope to finish sweeping by June 1.