MISSOULA - Leaf pickup is set to start up again in Missoula in early April.
Early snowstorms and prolonged cold weather during the fall and winter prevented city crews from starting to pick up leaves.
The leaf collection is expected to begin on Monday, April 3, 2023, weather permitting.
The work will begin in the neighborhoods north of the Clark Fork River during the first week, including in the Rattlesnake and Grant Creek areas.
Crews then move to central Missoula south of the river and throughout the rest of the city through April.
A schedule and collection map can be found at https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/504/Leaf-Collection.
Residents are being asked to do the following to assist in the leaf collection efforts:
City crews depend on residents to make leaf collection and street sweeping go as smoothly and quickly as possible, so we ask the following:
- 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.
- Sweep any rocks or sand on sidewalks into the street along with the leaves.
- Ensure leaves do not block any stormwater inlets, especially if it's raining or snowing as the stormwater will not be able to filter through the leaves to reach the storm drain.
- 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.
- 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. Trees that do not meet this requirement may have to be trimmed by City crews to complete leaf collection and street sweeping.
- People with questions about city trees can contact Missoula Parks and Recreation’s Urban Forestry Division at 406-552-6253, or visit www.ci.missoula.mt.us/230/Urban-Forestry.
- For street sweeping, residents are asked to park vehicles on the even-numbered side of the street on even-numbered days and on the odd-numbered side of the street on odd-numbered days from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. In Special Sweeping Districts, parking is prohibited on both sides of the street from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Leaves that have been in the street all winter will be full of sand, debris, and deicer, so residents are asked to dispose of them with their regular trash if they don’t want to wait for Streets crews to collect them.
Additionally, leaves that have spent the winter on the grass can be taken to Garden City Compost. Visit https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/2089/Garden-City-Compostor call 406-552-6619 for drop-off pricing and other information.
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.
