21_NCS000442_Streep Sweeping SOP_20210708

City of Rocky Mount
ROCKY MOU NT
PUBLIC WORKS
THE CENTER OF IT ALL
STREET SWEEPING
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
Public Works Department
Scott Miles, PE
6/10/21 '2--1-

City of Rocky Mount
STREET SWEEPING
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
PURPOSE & NEED FOR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (S.O.P)
The City of Rocky Mount believes that it is in the best interest of the residents for the city to assume basic
responsibility of sweeping on City streets. Reasonable sweeping is necessary for vehicle and pedestrian
safety, quality of life, street maintenance, surface water quality and environmental concerns. The city will
provide such service in a cost-effective manner, keeping in mind safety, budget, personnel, and environmental
concerns. The city will use city employees and equipment and private contractors (if necessary) to provide
this service. Completion dates are dependent on weather conditions, personnel, and equipment availability.
The Street Superintendent or his/her designee will be responsible for scheduling of personnel and equipment.
OPERATIONS
The City of Rocky Mount owns four (4) street sweepers and utilizes City employees to conduct th a sweeping.
Street sweeping takes place year-round and follows the priorities as set forth in this S.O.P.
PRIORITIES
• STORMWATER MANAGEMENT -Priority will be given to areas draining into the higher priority
water bodies as determined by the City Stormwater Engineer. These areas will be swept on a priority
basis throughout the year to comply with EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) Phase 11 Stormwater Permit Program.
• DOWNTOWN —The downtown district includes portions of. Main Street, Washington Street,
Hill Street, and city owned parking lots incl usive in this area and is swept one ( l) to three (3) times
per month as needed.
• CTY OWNED STREETS — City owned streets with curb & gutter are swept quarterly. Second
sweeps are conducted if severe weather events require it, or the Street Superintendent determines
it is necessary.
• CITY OWNED PARKING LOTS —City owned parking lots are swept quarterly during the year.
• CITIZENS REQUEST — Citizens request for sweeping will be evaluated and the Street
Superintendent will determine the necessity and priority.
• CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Silt & debris cleanup from construction projects is the responsibility
of the developer, contractor, or property owner. Except in cases of emergency the streets shall be
cleaned and swept within twenty-four (24) hours of notification. If the streets are not swept within
the specified time allowed or in the case of an emergency, then the City may sweep the street and
the responsible party may be required to reimburse the City for all associated costs.
6/10/21

PROCEDURES
Sweeping is a slow process with average gutter line speeds for the first sweeping in spring that can be as
slow as 2 to 3 miles per hour. The city will sweep with its own equipment. Normally center lines are swept
after gutter lines are cleaned. Equipment may include mechanical, vacuum, or regenerative air sweepers.
The city has classified city streets based on the street function, traffic volume, impact on water quality and
the environment, and the importance to the welfare of the Community. Accordingly, sweeping routes will
be designed to provide the maximum possible benefit to higher volume and water quality sensitive areas.
Sweeping operations will be conducted when weather conditions permit. Factors that may delay sweeping
operations include low temperatures, wind, rain, or snow.
Sweeping operations are performed in conjunction with and can be impacted by other maintenance operations.
Sweeping operations will normally be conducted Monday - Friday, from 6:30 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. Extended workdays and shift changes may be utilized for spring cleanup or emergency sweeping to
provide maximum efficiency. The downtown core business district will normally be swept between the
hours of 6:30 and 10 am.
YARD WASTE
It is the responsibility of residents to keep their neighborhood streets free of excessive yard waste and
other debris. The city does not provide street sweeping of leaves left in the gutter. Residents are not to
sweep their leaves to the gutter in the expectation of the sweepers collecting them. Leaving yard waste and
other debris in the street can clog the storm water system during heavy rains and cause flooding problems
and possibly damage homes in your neighborhood.
COMPLAINTS
Complaints regarding sweeping shall be taken during normal working hours and handled in accordance
with the City's normal operating procedures. Complaints involving access to property or problems
requiring immediate attention shall be handled on a priority basis. Complaint responses are to ensure that
the provisions of this S.O.P. have been fulfilled and that all residents of the City have been treated fairly
and uniformly. It is the City's intention to log all complaints and upgrade this S.O.P. as necessary in
consideration of the constraints of our resources. Any questions or complaints, please call the Engineering
Department at 252-972-1340 or the Streets Department at 252-467-4906.
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