Last leaf season, the city's Street Department spent 34 working days and serviced 462 leaf loads throughout the routes. These loads are transported to the city compost site located on U.S. 12 and placed in windrows for future composting material.Beginning Monday, Oct. 30, the Portage Street Department will begin the yearly fall leaf pick-up schedule. Most of the foliage seems to be remaining in the tree canopy. The major leaf drop is unpredictable due to conditions and many other variables involved when most leaves will fall to the ground. Weather permitting, leaf piles will be picked up with the goal of about three to five times during this fall period. In case of rain or snow leaf pick-up will be delayed and will resume as weather allows. The city is divided into 5 (five) zones. These zones are the same as our snow routes. It is very important to understand that in the peak of leaf pickup, the department will take about 3-5 days to complete a zone. These zones also help communicate with the residents in where the department is working with leaf pickup.LEAF PICKUP has no relation to TRASH pickup day.In order to ensure success of the program, we ask residents to observe the following policy / guidelines:
- Please rake leaf piles in the easement / edge of your property.
- Do NOT rake leaf piles into the street / road area as this plugs drains and causes flooding during rain events. Also wet leaves are difficult to pick-up in the roadways.
- Do not rake leaf piles near mailboxes, trees, poles, utility boxes, hydrants and parked vehicles to avoid interruption of services.
- Do not contaminate leaf piles with sticks, branches, trash or other debris. This may interrupt leaf pick up service.
- Leaf piles raked to the curb after this “Fall” service will have to wait till “Spring” for pick up. Do not postpone in the task of raking leaves to the curb.
- Leaves can also be dropped off at the street department on Hamstrom Road after obtaining a “YARD PASS” through the administration office on site.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and have an enjoyable fall season.Please email our department at PSD@portage-in.com for any future correspondence.
