DENVER — Denver’s annual street sweeping program kicks off Wednesday. Nearly 128,000 citations were issued to drivers who didn't move their cars in 2025, bringing in around $6.7 million into the city’s general fund.
Citations for not moving your car during street sweeping are $50, according to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI).
“Denver asks residents to move their cars on their street sweeping day so the sweepers can reach all the way to the curb line where dirt accumulates,” a DOTI spokesperson said.
The annual street sweeping program is aimed at clearing dirt, debris and pollutants from roadways in an effort that improves air quality, prevents storm drain clogs, and keeps contaminants out of waterways.
► Denver7's Sophia Villalba examines how the city approaches this annual service.
“Street sweeping directly improves air quality by removing accumulated dirt, sand, and particulate matter from roads, reducing the "brown cloud" effect,” the spokesperson told Denver7.
One Denver residents said it's very common for people to forget to move their cars.
“I think parking has really increased when it comes to Logan Street. Early in the morning, you have to move off that left side. A lot of people forget, and a lot of them don't read the signs,” longtime Denver resident Carl Schmidt said.
But for drivers especially in busy neighborhoods like Capitol Hill, it also means keeping close track of posted signs.
“Sometimes a lot of cars are still there, and they have to move them, or they ticket them. It's expensive, but they get a ticket and they go around it,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt told Denver7, the main problem is that people tend to forget or don’t properly read the street sweeping signs.
“What happens is they tow them, and that's expensive. They tow them into other streets where they can park them, and then you don't know where your car went to,” Denver resident Carl Schmidt said.
A DOTI spokesperson told Denver7, crews do not tow as part of regular posted street sweeping. However, sometimes DOTI engages in a special sweeping effort.
“As part of a special sweeping effort, we may post no parking signs and move people’s cars to get a good sweep, but nothing like that is currently scheduled,” DOTI Director of Communications Nancy Kuhn said.
DOTI said there are a couple of things residents can do to avoid being ticketed during street sweeping.
“Go to Denver’s online services hub and access your street sweeping schedule. You can sign up for reminders via text or email. So, before your sweeping day, you're going to get a notice to help you remember your sweeping day,” Kuhn said.
Street sweeping in Denver runs every year from April through November.
DOTI told Denver7, the goal is to not give tickets.
"Our goal is to encourage people to move their cars so that we can do the best job possible for their neighborhood and really get in there and do a good job sweeping," Kuhn said.
