Fall Leaf Collection Program to Start November 18
Published on: Thursday, November 7, 2024 News

Fall Leaf Collection Program to Start November 18

This year’s vacuum leaf collection program will take place between November 18 and December 20. Every household will receive a leaf collection notice in the mail and more information can be found on the City’s webpage. 

Loose leaves raked to the curb are collected via vacuum trucks. These leaves are taken to the Public Works yard, where they are ground into small pieces. This leaf mulch is then available for residents for pick-up or by delivery for a fee.

While the city does provide collection for leaves, we strongly encourage residents to consider alternatives including mulching or composting all or most of the leaves and keeping them in their yards. Information on the best ways to do this can be found on the Leaf Collection Webpage. Leaves can also be bagged in paper bags and collected throughout the year in Monday yard waste collection.

This year’s fall leaf collection, like previous years, will divide the city into five zones, with one leaf collection crew per zone. City streets will receive collection throughout the collection period as crews pass through their zones. The program will cover every street at least twice during the collection period and usually more often.

Collection Routes with Assigned Collection Dates

There are five streets that receive collection on scheduled dates due to heavy traffic:

  • Saturday, November 23 and Monday, December 16: Carroll Avenue (7000 to 7800 blocks), Ethan Allen Avenue, and Philadelphia Avenue
  •  Friday, November 15 and Saturday, December 14: Piney Branch Road and Flower Avenue (7900 to 8600 blocks)
Important Guidelines for Leaf Collection
  • Place leaves into a pile just behind the curb.
  • Do not rake leaves into the street as the leaves can create traffic hazards.
  • Do not include branches, brush, vines, rocks, or debris. These items can damage equipment and delay collection.
  • Do not pile leaves near storm drain inlets. Leaves can block the drains and cause fl ooding.
  • Do not park your car in front of a leaf pile during the work day.
Leaf Collection Hotline

The Leaf Collection Hotline, 301 891-7626, will be available for residents to report when their leaf pile is at the curb. It is not necessary to report when your leaves are ready, but it is an option.

This article appeared in the November Edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. Check out this article and more on the City webpage.