Just a reminder that leaf pickup starts today for portions of Emerson-Garfield. It is scheduled to continue in our neighborhood (check out the map) until next Sunday.

According to the city’s leaf pickup schedule (PDF link), leaves in the streets on the west side of Emerson-Garfield will be picked up between today and Tuesday (November 12). Leaves on the east side of Emerson-Garfield will be picked up between next Saturday and Sunday (November 16 to 17). There are three crews: a hand-pickup crew for light leaf fall, a loadall crew for small areas with heavy leaf fall, and a packer crew with a parade of heavy equipment for larger areas with heavier leaf fall. They’ll operate from dawn until dusk — or in some cases, the early hours of the morning.

Here’s what’s expected of residents:

• Don’t rake the leaves from your yard into the road. (Yes, we’re looking at you, house on Montgomery with the suddenly pristine lawn and the giant berm of leaves in front of your curb.) It’s lazy and it’s inconsiderate. And it’s illegal. Use your green bin — or borrow your neighbor’s — for yard leaves, or be prepared to pay a fee to the Road Department.
• Find somewhere to park that isn’t the street. When the pickup vehicles have to weave around parked cars, they leave piles of sodden, mucky leaves behind that will likely sit there all winter. Use your garage, your neighbor’s driveway (with their permission, of course), or park to one side of the back alley. It’s only for two days.

Click here to see real-time progress of the leaf pickup crews. If you want to hear the reassuring sound of a recorded message, call the Leaf Hotline at (509) 456-2666.