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A reader asks: Who do I call to get some dying trees removed from our street? It’s a dead end street, so it’s not likely that the city is paying much attention there. Also, how often are streets supposed to be cleaned? I’ve lived here for five years now and I think I’ve seen street cleaning done only a handful of times. I end up cleaning the leaves the full length of my block to keep it clean.

Fall is finally here, and while crisp breezes and colorful leaves might be welcome, the debris left in the streets is not. In New Bedford, the city can help with street cleaning and maintenance, but you might have to ask. 

New Bedford’s Department of Public Infrastructure handles tree maintenance and street cleaning, and much of this is done regularly. 

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But the department is understaffed, according to Alyssa Edenberg, an office assistant for the city. New Bedford has just one arborist, and only a few employees can operate street sweepers. 

So if you’re at the end of a cul-de-sac that the street sweeper never quite reaches, or you’re worried about a tree dropping branches on your street, you might have to take matters into your own hands and contact the city. Here’s how to do it. 

How can I request street sweeping?

If trash or dying leaves are starting to build up in your street, you can request that the city sweep them up. 

Residents can call the public infrastructure department’s repair line at 508-979-1550, ext. 4, to request a street sweeper at any time of year.

They can also use the NBConnected app to request street cleanings. In the app, just hit the “Requests” button at the bottom of the app’s interface. 

The regularly scheduled street sweepings happen on Thursdays on a bi-weekly schedule. There’s no guaranteed timeframe when residents can expect a street sweeping once they’ve made a request, but Edenberg said street sweepers try to get as many streets as possible cleaned when they do regular sweepings, so the Thursdays they’re in your area are a safe bet. 

What are the regular routes for city street sweepers?

Street sweepers clean each of the city’s main streets once every two weeks between April 1 and Nov. 1.

Residents can find an up-to-date schedule of weekly street cleanings on the city’s website — this schedule began in April 2023, and, according to Edenberg, it’s up to date. Because the city’s resources are limited, the schedule focuses on main roads. Street sweepers will try to clean as many side streets as possible, but don’t expect consistent street cleaning if your house isn’t on the annual schedule.

Regular sweeping occurs on these streets:

First and third Thursday of the month, April 1 through Nov. 1:

  • Dartmouth Street from Matthew Street to Allen Street
  • Kempton Street from Rockdale Avenue to Sixth Street
  • Mill Street from County Street to Rockdale Avenue
  • North Street from County Street to Rockdale Avenue
  • Rivet Street from Route 18 to Hemlock Street
  • Cove Road from Brock Avenue to the town line
  • Cove Street from East Rodney French Boulevard to County Street
  • Route 18 from Cove Road to Cove Street

Second and fourth Thursday of the month, April 1 through Nov. 1:

  • County Street from Rivet Street to Cove Street
  • Ashley Boulevard from Nash Road to Coggeshall Street
  • Acushnet Avenue from Coggeshall Street to Brooklawn Street
  • North Front Street from Coggeshall Street to Nash Road

What can I do about messy or dying trees on my street?

The city can help maintain publicly owned trees in your neighborhood, whether they are in desperate need of a trimming or you’re worried about falling branches. 

Residents can call the DPI repair line, or submit a request in the NBConnected app. Edenberg said a lot of residents have been using the app to make requests, which include tree trimming, tree removals and removal for downed branches. 

Again, the city won’t provide a timeline for repairs, so Edenberg encourages residents to call again if their requests have not been addressed within a few weeks.

“If they have quite a list going on, it might take a little bit for them to get there,” Edenberg said. “It’s not something where they may be able to submit the request and then somebody goes by the next day.”

The city’s arborist will also assess a tree when a resident makes a call about it. He’ll determine whether the tree just needs a little extra care, or is dead and needs removing. 

Because the city’s forestry department is understaffed, Edenberg said, it can’t regularly survey every block, so it encourages locals to report tree health issues. 

The city also encourages locals to care for the city-owned trees on their streets. The forestry department advises residents to avoid walking, driving and parking on soil, especially when it’s wet, to protect city trees. Edenberg said many locals also water nearby city trees when they water their lawns. 

If you want to see more trees in your neighborhoods, New Bedford has an Adopt a Tree program. 

To join the program and request a tree you’d like planted in your area, just call the DPI. Experts will inspect the tree site and determine whether it’s a good environment for a new tree. Then, the tree adoptee can select one from the city’s approved list. The program has a $150 fee. 

Abigail Pritchard, a graduate student in the Boston University journalism program, is a frequent contributor to The New Bedford Light. She can be reached at apritchard@newbedfordlight.org.

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4 replies on “How do residents get dead trees, trash removed from streets?”

  1. Great article and I commend the reader for taking the time to ask their question and contribute to the community by helping out and keeping their neighborhood block clean.

    A couple of lines in this article stand out (Because the city’s resources are limited, the schedule focuses on main roads) and (Because the city’s forestry department is understaffed, Edenberg said, it can’t regularly survey every block).

    Well you have to wonder how this can be (Limited resources and being understaffed) when the city council just approved the mayor’s budget giving him another $25 Million Dollars, raising taxes, and increasing the budget to a staggering $550 Million Dollars a year.

    How can this city not be operated on $550 Million Dollars a year?

    Could it be that this city has been mismanaged for over ten years? For example how is it that city services can be limited and departments under staffed while the city can still afford to fund a non profit to the tune of $500 Thousands Dollars a year? It just doesn’t sound right.

    Please get out and vote, New Bedford definitely needs new leadership.

  2. Stop planting trees and take care of existing trees. I’ve seen trees that are dead and heavy limbs falling on fences on a one block area three times in one year, on Rockdale Avenue next to our main police station. The limbs on one tree are still across the sidewalk making it tough for children walking to school. SHAMEFUL.

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