Melting Snow in Lakewood Reveals Garbage and More

Along with the warmer temperatures in Lakewood comes the melting of months of snow accumulation. And each year’s thaw reveals an accumulation of garbage, cigarette butts and dog feces along the city’s streets and sidewalks.

Gone are the salt and plow trucks (for now). Crews of street-sweepers have been out this week in full-force doing their best to cleanup months of debris from the side of the city’s streets.

The trucks use water to help clean the pavement, so they don’t operate during most of the winter because of freezing temperatures. On Thursday, crews were able to make an impact.

The sidewalks are a different story.

With the melting snow and ice, there are piles of dog excrement on just about every sidewalk of the city’s residential blocks, said , the city’s director of public works.

In April, city crews will use high-powered blowers to push dirt and debris into the street for cleanup.

But for now, property owners will need to take charge.

“Whether it’s in front of your house, or it’s in front of your business — just like shoveling snow — it’s your responsibility to clean it up,” Beno said. “Every spring it’s like a ritual. People think that if a dog craps on the snow it will disappear. It doesn’t freeze and melt away with the snow.”

He encourages residents to be considerate of their neighbors in the winter — just as they are the summer.

“(Thursday was) the first day that (garbage) really started appearing,” Beno added. “It will probably start snowing again soon.” 

Until then, mind your step.