Fall leaf pickup is set to begin in Missoula on Monday, Nov. 1.
The work will begin in the neighborhoods north of the Clark Fork River during the first week (Area 1). Those neighborhoods include the Rattlesnake Valley and Grant Creek, along with most of the north side of downtown and the West Side and North Side areas. Crews then move to central Missoula south of the river (Area 2) and throughout the city through Nov. 26.
You can view the entire schedule and collection area map online here.
City officials note the schedule starts in older neighborhoods with mature trees and the highest volume of leaves with the expectation that crews can return to those neighborhoods at the end of the season if weather permits.
People who don’t want to wait for their collection date, who miss their collection date, or whose trees drop more leaves after their collection date can take their leaves to Garden City Compost at no charge. Note this is for leaves only. More information can be found here or by calling (406) 552-6619.
City crews depend on citizens to make leaf collection work.
- Please rake leaves to the curb in the parking lane but not out into the bike lane or driving lane. If there is not a parking lane, please rake leaves to the curb but use no more than half of the bike lane. Make piles long and narrow.
- Please complete raking before your pickup week starts. Crews may visit your street on the first day. They will then move on through the area.
- When parking, please allow room for Streets Division crews to get to leaf piles with front end loaders and trucks. See the Leaf Collection web page for parking instructions in Special Districts during leaf collection.
- Leaves only, please. Debris and limbs delay leaf pickup and can damage equipment. • Trees must be pruned to a minimum of 14 feet over the street to the inside edge of the curb line. If your trees do not meet this requirement, they may have to be trimmed by City crews to complete leaf collection.
- Leaf collection is followed by street sweeping, as weather permits.
City officials note If snowfall disrupts the schedule, crews will be diverted to plow snow but will return to leaf collection as soon as possible. Updates to the schedule will be posted on the City of Missoula website and the Public Works & Mobility Department’s Facebook page.
Residents who miss their neighborhood’s scheduled pickup time can call the Street Operations & Maintenance Division at (406) 552-6360 to be placed on a list for another collection time, as weather permits and after all areas are completed.
