The U.S. boasts 4.18 million miles of road. While much of that is paved, nearly a third of those are gravel or dirt country roads.
Federal and state governments are responsible for a small portion of those roads. But, the vast majority of the upkeep and maintenance falls to local municipalities and cities.
That also means they’re responsible for fixing potholes, managing major road repairs, and scheduling the street sweeper. You might wonder why cities bother with street sweeping.
The truth is, municipal cleaning is much more important than you might think. Read on to learn about the benefits of street sweeping and why it’s a vital, yet under-appreciated, service in your community.
Promotes Safety of Drivers and Pedestrians
If you’ve ever had to veer your car to avoid a stray piece of cardboard in the road, you know how dangerous road debris can be. It’s also an issue for pedestrians who have to walk around pieces of garbage or other debris on the sidewalk.
The street sweeper will remove these large pieces of debris which can prevent accidents. It can also pick up nails and bolts on the side of the road which can puncture tires and harm pedestrians.
Keeps Rodents and Critters Away
While trash pickup is vital in keeping animals like raccoons, opossums, and rats as well as bugs away, there’s bound to be some loose trash. That’s one of the great benefits of street sweeping.
A sweeper truck can pick up food scraps, dirt, and other types of garbage that gets left behind. When there’s nothing there to attract rodents, wild animals, and bugs, you’ll have a cleaner neighborhood that’s free from pests.
Prevents Flooding and Water Pollution
Your city or town likely has a system of gutters and storm drains to collect excess rainwater. This not only prevents your streets from flooding, it also protects the water quality and keeps nearby homes from flooding.
But, for the storm drains to work, they can’t be clogged with loose trash, sticks, leaves, or other road debris. Routine street sweeping will pick up this debris and keep it from entering the storm drains.
The next time it rains and your street doesn’t flood, you can thank a sweeper truck like the ones from Haaker Equipment Company and its operator.
Boosts Property Values
While things like the job market, quality of schools, and crime rates impact property values, other small factors have an impact. The cleanliness of your neighborhood can also have an impact on your property value.
If there’s often dust, dead leaves, and pieces of garbage on your street, it might give your neighborhood a bad reputation. Neighbors might stop caring as much about their properties and the value of the whole area can start to slip.
If your street looks clean and well-maintained, people might be more likely to buy a home and take care of it.
Appreciate Your Area Street Sweeper
The street sweeper might’ve just been that noisy truck you had to move your car for. Now, you know that it’s there to make your neighborhood safer, keep rodents away, prevent flooding, and boost property values.
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