AGENDA ITEM NO. 5
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AGENDA STAFF REPORT
City of West Covina | Office of the City Manager
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| DATE: | April 7, 2026 |
TO: |
Mayor and City Council |
FROM: |
|
SUBJECT: |
CONSIDERATION OF UPDATE TO STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM FOR ALTERNATE SIDES ON ALTERNATE DAY SWEEPING |
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council provide direction.
BACKGROUND:
The City of West Covina provides street sweeping services for approximately 463 curb miles of roadway through a contract with a third-party vendor, Nationwide Environmental Services. Street sweeping is an essential public service that removes trash and debris, maintains the cleanliness and appearance of the community, and supports compliance with regional water and air quality regulations.
Community meetings were held on June 12, 17, and 26, 2023, as well as on October 19, 2023, to discuss potential changes to the City’s existing street sweeping program.
On November 7, 2023, staff presented an update on the program to the City Council for consideration. Due to additional information requested, the item was tabled and later brought back to Council on December 5, 2023. At that meeting, the City Council directed staff to transition from a bi-weekly street sweeping schedule to a weekly schedule. The Council also directed staff to update the Municipal Code, install signage restricting parking during designated four-hour street sweeping windows, and expand the responsibilities of Public Safety (formerly Code Enforcement) to include street sweeping enforcement. This enforcement ensures that streets and curbs remain accessible to sweepers so that the program can operate effectively.
On October 15, 2024, the City Council awarded a contract to a third-party vendor for the installation of new street sweeping signs in the amount of $351,095.00, with a 15% contingency ($52,664.25), for a total project budget of $403,759.25. The Council also authorized staff to purchase additional signage and mounting equipment in the amount of $734,992.87. The project scope included all materials, equipment, labor, and incidentals necessary to install street sweeping restriction signage throughout the City. Signs were installed on existing streetlights, existing signposts, or new Unistrut signposts placed in concrete or dirt, depending on site conditions.
On February 4, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2526, amending Chapter 22 (Traffic Regulations) to update street sweeping regulations and enforcement provisions. At the same meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-10, identifying when and where the “No Parking on Street Sweeping Days” regulations would be implemented.
On February 19, 2025, staff issued a Notice to Proceed to the awarded contractor for installation of the Citywide street sweeping signage. Signs restricting parking during the designated four-hour sweeping windows were subsequently installed across all applicable areas.
On July 15, 2025, the City Council authorized the purchase of enforcement vehicles to support the updated program. This included four 2025 Ford F-150 trucks and two 2025 Ford Police Interceptors to be utilized by Public Safety as part of the enforcement fleet.
On August 19, 2025, the City Council directed staff to revise the program to an alternate-side, alternate-day street sweeping schedule. Council directed the Acting City Manager to negotiate an amendment to the agreement with Nationwide Environmental Services and return with the amendment for Council approval. Council also authorized the purchase of stickers to revise existing signage and directed staff to prepare a resolution updating parking restrictions associated with the modified program.
Finally, on November 18, 2025, the City Council accepted the completed work and authorized staff to file the Notice of Completion for the Street Sweeping Signage Installation Project (Project No. 25015).
Community meetings were held on June 12, 17, and 26, 2023, as well as on October 19, 2023, to discuss potential changes to the City’s existing street sweeping program.
On November 7, 2023, staff presented an update on the program to the City Council for consideration. Due to additional information requested, the item was tabled and later brought back to Council on December 5, 2023. At that meeting, the City Council directed staff to transition from a bi-weekly street sweeping schedule to a weekly schedule. The Council also directed staff to update the Municipal Code, install signage restricting parking during designated four-hour street sweeping windows, and expand the responsibilities of Public Safety (formerly Code Enforcement) to include street sweeping enforcement. This enforcement ensures that streets and curbs remain accessible to sweepers so that the program can operate effectively.
On October 15, 2024, the City Council awarded a contract to a third-party vendor for the installation of new street sweeping signs in the amount of $351,095.00, with a 15% contingency ($52,664.25), for a total project budget of $403,759.25. The Council also authorized staff to purchase additional signage and mounting equipment in the amount of $734,992.87. The project scope included all materials, equipment, labor, and incidentals necessary to install street sweeping restriction signage throughout the City. Signs were installed on existing streetlights, existing signposts, or new Unistrut signposts placed in concrete or dirt, depending on site conditions.
On February 4, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2526, amending Chapter 22 (Traffic Regulations) to update street sweeping regulations and enforcement provisions. At the same meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-10, identifying when and where the “No Parking on Street Sweeping Days” regulations would be implemented.
On February 19, 2025, staff issued a Notice to Proceed to the awarded contractor for installation of the Citywide street sweeping signage. Signs restricting parking during the designated four-hour sweeping windows were subsequently installed across all applicable areas.
On July 15, 2025, the City Council authorized the purchase of enforcement vehicles to support the updated program. This included four 2025 Ford F-150 trucks and two 2025 Ford Police Interceptors to be utilized by Public Safety as part of the enforcement fleet.
On August 19, 2025, the City Council directed staff to revise the program to an alternate-side, alternate-day street sweeping schedule. Council directed the Acting City Manager to negotiate an amendment to the agreement with Nationwide Environmental Services and return with the amendment for Council approval. Council also authorized the purchase of stickers to revise existing signage and directed staff to prepare a resolution updating parking restrictions associated with the modified program.
Finally, on November 18, 2025, the City Council accepted the completed work and authorized staff to file the Notice of Completion for the Street Sweeping Signage Installation Project (Project No. 25015).
DISCUSSION:
Staff met with the City’s street sweeping vendor, Nationwide Environmental Services, to evaluate potential alternate-side street sweeping routes throughout the City. These discussions focused on operational considerations such as City size, the number of sweepers required, coordination with existing trash collection schedules, staffing needs, and implementation logistics. Based on these factors, the maps included in Attachment No. 1 – Alternate Side Street Sweeping Maps were developed. The alternative route options presented in Tables 2 through 4 outline Citywide approaches intended to provide effective street sweeping coverage while accommodating residents’ daytime parking needs. Under the proposed schedules, residents would move vehicles between sides of the street on designated days, allowing sweepers access to the gutter line while maintaining parking availability.
Table 1: Option 1 Current Route Schedule
Table 2: Alternative Route Option 2
Table 3: Alternative Route Option 3
Table 4: Alternative Route Option 4
With the proposed routes, additional street sweepers would be required to complete each sweeping zone. Due to the increase in street miles being serviced, transitioning from the current schedule to an alternate side street sweeping program would necessitate the purchase of additional street sweepers. Table 5 identifies the number of sweepers required for each proposed option.
Table 5: Number of Street Sweepers for Route Options
The addition of new equipment would result in increased costs related to the purchase of street sweepers, as well as the staffing, training, and ongoing operation of the additional equipment. Expanded service levels would also require the hiring of additional Street Sweeping Enforcement Officers to ensure compliance with parking restrictions. This would include the procurement of additional parking enforcement vehicles and associated equipment.
For the program to operate effectively, it is recommended that at least one enforcement officer accompany each street sweeper for the duration of its assigned route. Each enforcement officer would be equipped with a handheld radio and uniform. In addition, each route would require a dedicated enforcement vehicle to follow the street sweeper, outfitted with City decals, emergency light bars, and in-car police radios.
A detailed breakdown of the associated enforcement costs for each option is provided in Table 6.
Table 6: Street Sweeping Enforcement Costs
Beyond increased annual operating costs, several one-time capital expenses would be required to successfully implement an alternating-side street sweeping program. These include the purchase and installation of additional signage and mounting hardware, stickers to update existing signage, and the acquisition of additional parking enforcement vehicles. During the initial rollout of the program, the City installed approximately 4,585 signs. Due to limited access points in some neighborhoods, not all streets were posted during the first phase. Under the updated program, these locations would require individual posting, which staff estimates would require approximately 350 additional signs at an estimated cost of $15,750.
In addition, existing signage would need to be updated using specially produced adhesive decals designed to adhere to the current signs. During the initial evaluation of the alternate-side street sweeping program, decals were quoted at $16.60 per sign. Updating the 4,585 existing signs would result in an estimated procurement cost of $76,111, excluding installation labor. When combined with the procurement of approximately 350 new signs, staff estimates the total signage and decal procurement cost would be approximately $91,861.
In addition to material procurement, costs would be incurred for installation of new signs and application of decals to existing signage to reflect updated street sweeping days and times. Based on the initial street sweeping restriction installation, staff estimates installation costs of approximately $66.45 per new sign and $6.24 per sign for decal application. Installation of 350 new signs is estimated at $23,257.50, and application of decals to 4,585 existing signs is estimated at $28,610.4, for a combined installation cost of approximately $51,867.90.
Should the City Council choose to maintain the existing street sweeping routes or switch to an alternating side sweeping schedule, staff anticipates proceeding with a Phase 2 effort to reassess original sign locations. This effort would include relocating, consolidating, and installing additional signage along current routes to improve clarity and consistency. At this time, staff has not identified all locations requiring updates, and a cost estimate for this potential effort is not yet available.
In addition to signage and equipment costs, all three options would require a significant overall financial investment by the City. The Initial Capital Investment required to implement a program of this scale would also include the hiring and training of new parking enforcement staff, expanded resident outreach efforts such as mailers and community meetings, and potential temporary reductions in parking enforcement revenue during the transition period. On the operational side, implementation would require the purchase of two to three additional street sweepers, the onboarding and training of new operators, and the associated long-term costs related to employee benefits, vehicle depreciation, and increased consumption of fuel, tires, oil, and other consumables. Increased sweeping activity would also require additional 40-yard debris bins at the City Yard and more frequent use of roll-off hauling services for materials.
Staffing and equipment availability would also impact the program timeline. New street sweeper operators typically require approximately two to six months to become fully trained and operational. Once ordered, new street sweepers are estimated to take between 12 and 18 months for delivery. Similar onboarding and training considerations would apply to parking enforcement officers, further extending the overall implementation schedule.
Environmental impacts were also identified as a key consideration. An alternate-side or alternate-day sweeping program would require sweepers to travel the same streets multiple times per week, increasing vehicle miles traveled, fuel usage, emissions, and equipment wear. While street sweepers are regulated to capture particulate matter 10 microns or larger, more frequent sweeping would disturb smaller particles more often, increasing the potential for airborne dust. Additional emissions would also be generated by increased use of City vehicles for parking enforcement.
Increased sweeping frequency would contribute to greater wear on City streets due to the weight of the sweepers and the additional miles driven. More frequent dumping of debris would increase congestion and operational demands at the City Yard and result in more frequent roll-off truck activity. Debris that falls from refuse containers during waste collection may also remain on streets for longer periods, depending on the option selected.
Compliance with existing AQMD and NPDES regulations must be considered, and consultation with the appropriate regulatory agencies may be necessary to further evaluate these impacts. Visual and noise impacts are also anticipated to increase, as additional signage would be installed throughout the City and sweepers would operate more frequently in residential neighborhoods.
Finally, staff anticipates that transitioning to an alternate-side street sweeping program would require substantial public outreach to address resident confusion. Currently, both sides of each street have been swept on the same day. Moving to an alternate-side or alternate-day schedule would require ongoing education to ensure compliance. Despite outreach efforts, staff expects an increase in resident inquiries, complaints, and public feedback during and following implementation. While holiday scheduling impacts exist, they are anticipated to be less significant when compared to the financial, operational, environmental, and public communication challenges associated with the proposed change.
Table 1: Option 1 Current Route Schedule
| Current Route | Both sides of the street are swept one day after trash collection. | ||
| Waste Collection Day | Street Sweeping Restrictions | ||
| Friday | Monday 7 AM-11 AM | Monday 10 AM-2 PM | Monday 1 PM-4 PM |
| Monday | Tuesday 7 AM-11 AM | Tuesday 10 AM-2 PM | Tuesday 1 PM-4 PM |
| Tuesday | Wednesday 7 AM-11 AM | Wednesday 10 AM- 2 PM | Wednesday 1 PM-4 PM |
| Wednesday | Thursday 7 AM-11 AM | Thursday 10 AM-2 PM | Thursday 1 PM-4 PM |
| Thursday | Friday 7 AM-11 AM | Friday 10 AM-2 PM | Friday 1 PM-4 PM |
Table 2: Alternative Route Option 2
| Option 2 | Side 1 is swept one day after trash collection; Side 2 is swept two days after trash collection. | |
| Waste Collection Day | Street Sweeping Restrictions | |
| Monday | Tuesday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Wednesday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Tuesday | Wednesday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Thursday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Wednesday | Thursday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Friday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Thursday | Friday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Monday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Friday | Monday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Tuesday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
Table 3: Alternative Route Option 3
| Option 3 | Side 1 is swept two days after trash collection; Side 2 is swept three days after trash collection. | |
| Waste Collection Day | Street Sweeping Restrictions | |
| Monday | Wednesday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Thursday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Tuesday | Thursday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Friday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Wednesday | Friday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Monday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Thursday | Monday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Tuesday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Friday | Tuesday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Wednesday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
Table 4: Alternative Route Option 4
| Option 4 | Four sweeping day program instead of five. Sweeping frequency varies by location, ranging from the day after trash collection up to three days after. | |
| Waste Collection Day | Street Sweeping Restrictions | |
| Monday | Wednesday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Thursday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Tuesday | Thursday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Friday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Wednesday | Friday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Tuesday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Thursday | Friday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Tuesday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Friday | Tuesday 7:30 AM-12:30 PM | Wednesday 11:30 AM-4:30 PM |
With the proposed routes, additional street sweepers would be required to complete each sweeping zone. Due to the increase in street miles being serviced, transitioning from the current schedule to an alternate side street sweeping program would necessitate the purchase of additional street sweepers. Table 5 identifies the number of sweepers required for each proposed option.
Table 5: Number of Street Sweepers for Route Options
| Route Option | Additional Sweepers Required | Additional Costs |
| Current Route | 4 sweepers | |
| Option 1 | 7 sweepers | $1,650,000 |
| Option 2 | 7 sweepers | $1,650,000 |
| Option 3 | 7 sweepers | $1,650,000 |
The addition of new equipment would result in increased costs related to the purchase of street sweepers, as well as the staffing, training, and ongoing operation of the additional equipment. Expanded service levels would also require the hiring of additional Street Sweeping Enforcement Officers to ensure compliance with parking restrictions. This would include the procurement of additional parking enforcement vehicles and associated equipment.
For the program to operate effectively, it is recommended that at least one enforcement officer accompany each street sweeper for the duration of its assigned route. Each enforcement officer would be equipped with a handheld radio and uniform. In addition, each route would require a dedicated enforcement vehicle to follow the street sweeper, outfitted with City decals, emergency light bars, and in-car police radios.
A detailed breakdown of the associated enforcement costs for each option is provided in Table 6.
Table 6: Street Sweeping Enforcement Costs
| Enforcement Costs | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Option 4 |
| Number of Full Time Enforcement Staff | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Total Full Time Enforcement Staff Costs (fully burdened annual rate) | $370,000 | $592,000 | $592,000 | $592,000 |
| Full Time Enforcement Staff Equipment (uniforms and handheld radios) | $60,000 | $96,000 | $96,000 | $96,000 |
| Enforcement Staff Supervisor | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Enforcement Staff Supervisor Costs (fully burdened annual rate) | $85,000 | $85,000 | $85,000 | $85,000 |
| Enforcement Staff Supervisor Equipment (uniforms and handheld radios) | $12,000 | $12,000 | $12,000 | $12,000 |
| Number of vehicles needed to be purchased | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Street Sweeping Enforcement Vehicles Costs | $50,000 | $250,000 | $250,000 | $250,000 |
| Vehicle Equipment (light bar, decals, police radio) | $15,000 | $75,000 | $75,000 | $75,000 |
| Total one-time cost | $137,000 | $433,000 | $433,000 | $433,000 |
| Total Reoccurring Annual cost | $455,000 | $677,000 | $677,000 | $677,000 |
Beyond increased annual operating costs, several one-time capital expenses would be required to successfully implement an alternating-side street sweeping program. These include the purchase and installation of additional signage and mounting hardware, stickers to update existing signage, and the acquisition of additional parking enforcement vehicles. During the initial rollout of the program, the City installed approximately 4,585 signs. Due to limited access points in some neighborhoods, not all streets were posted during the first phase. Under the updated program, these locations would require individual posting, which staff estimates would require approximately 350 additional signs at an estimated cost of $15,750.
In addition, existing signage would need to be updated using specially produced adhesive decals designed to adhere to the current signs. During the initial evaluation of the alternate-side street sweeping program, decals were quoted at $16.60 per sign. Updating the 4,585 existing signs would result in an estimated procurement cost of $76,111, excluding installation labor. When combined with the procurement of approximately 350 new signs, staff estimates the total signage and decal procurement cost would be approximately $91,861.
In addition to material procurement, costs would be incurred for installation of new signs and application of decals to existing signage to reflect updated street sweeping days and times. Based on the initial street sweeping restriction installation, staff estimates installation costs of approximately $66.45 per new sign and $6.24 per sign for decal application. Installation of 350 new signs is estimated at $23,257.50, and application of decals to 4,585 existing signs is estimated at $28,610.4, for a combined installation cost of approximately $51,867.90.
Should the City Council choose to maintain the existing street sweeping routes or switch to an alternating side sweeping schedule, staff anticipates proceeding with a Phase 2 effort to reassess original sign locations. This effort would include relocating, consolidating, and installing additional signage along current routes to improve clarity and consistency. At this time, staff has not identified all locations requiring updates, and a cost estimate for this potential effort is not yet available.
In addition to signage and equipment costs, all three options would require a significant overall financial investment by the City. The Initial Capital Investment required to implement a program of this scale would also include the hiring and training of new parking enforcement staff, expanded resident outreach efforts such as mailers and community meetings, and potential temporary reductions in parking enforcement revenue during the transition period. On the operational side, implementation would require the purchase of two to three additional street sweepers, the onboarding and training of new operators, and the associated long-term costs related to employee benefits, vehicle depreciation, and increased consumption of fuel, tires, oil, and other consumables. Increased sweeping activity would also require additional 40-yard debris bins at the City Yard and more frequent use of roll-off hauling services for materials.
Staffing and equipment availability would also impact the program timeline. New street sweeper operators typically require approximately two to six months to become fully trained and operational. Once ordered, new street sweepers are estimated to take between 12 and 18 months for delivery. Similar onboarding and training considerations would apply to parking enforcement officers, further extending the overall implementation schedule.
Environmental impacts were also identified as a key consideration. An alternate-side or alternate-day sweeping program would require sweepers to travel the same streets multiple times per week, increasing vehicle miles traveled, fuel usage, emissions, and equipment wear. While street sweepers are regulated to capture particulate matter 10 microns or larger, more frequent sweeping would disturb smaller particles more often, increasing the potential for airborne dust. Additional emissions would also be generated by increased use of City vehicles for parking enforcement.
Increased sweeping frequency would contribute to greater wear on City streets due to the weight of the sweepers and the additional miles driven. More frequent dumping of debris would increase congestion and operational demands at the City Yard and result in more frequent roll-off truck activity. Debris that falls from refuse containers during waste collection may also remain on streets for longer periods, depending on the option selected.
Compliance with existing AQMD and NPDES regulations must be considered, and consultation with the appropriate regulatory agencies may be necessary to further evaluate these impacts. Visual and noise impacts are also anticipated to increase, as additional signage would be installed throughout the City and sweepers would operate more frequently in residential neighborhoods.
Finally, staff anticipates that transitioning to an alternate-side street sweeping program would require substantial public outreach to address resident confusion. Currently, both sides of each street have been swept on the same day. Moving to an alternate-side or alternate-day schedule would require ongoing education to ensure compliance. Despite outreach efforts, staff expects an increase in resident inquiries, complaints, and public feedback during and following implementation. While holiday scheduling impacts exist, they are anticipated to be less significant when compared to the financial, operational, environmental, and public communication challenges associated with the proposed change.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed the staff report.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options:
1. Maintain the existing street sweeping schedule and routes, and direct staff to review current signage for potential citywide posting improvements; or
2. Direct staff to begin implementation of an alternate-side street sweeping schedule from options 2 through 4, including updating street sweeping signage and posting locations citywide; or
3. Provide an alternative direction.
1. Maintain the existing street sweeping schedule and routes, and direct staff to review current signage for potential citywide posting improvements; or
2. Direct staff to begin implementation of an alternate-side street sweeping schedule from options 2 through 4, including updating street sweeping signage and posting locations citywide; or
3. Provide an alternative direction.
Fiscal Impact
FISCAL IMPACT:
The table below summarizes the estimated one-time and recurring fiscal impacts associated with each street sweeping option in comparison to maintaining the current routes. Certain costs are applicable to all options, while others are dependent on Council selection, including the option to maintain the existing street sweeping program with no service expansion. It should be noted that should the current routes be maintained, or routes be switched to alternative sides sweeping, there will be costs associated with revising the current signage posting to remove excess signs, consolidate signage, and install additional signage to address resident concerns that have not been captured in the table below. Additionally, staff anticipates purchasing new handheld ticket radars, which are estimated to be approximately $6,000 per radar. This purchase is still being reviewed by staff and is anticipated to be purchased at a future time.
| Program | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Option 4 |
| Signage and Sticker Procurement | $0 | $91,861 | $91,861 | $91,861 |
| Signage and Sticker Installation | $0 | $51,868 | $51,868 | $51,868 |
| Street Sweeping Enforcement Vehicles | $50,000 | $250,000 | $250,000 | $250,000 |
| Street Sweeping Enforcement Staff Equipment | $87,000 | $183,000 | $183,000 | $183,000 |
| Additional Street Sweepers | $0 | $1,650,000 | $1,650,000 | $1,650,000 |
| Subtotal One-Time Costs | $137,000 | $2,226,729 | $2,226,729 | $2,226,729 |
| Annual Street Sweeping Enforcement Staff (fully burdened annual rate) | $455,000 | $677,000 | $677,000 | $677,000 |
| Annual Street Sweeping Contract | $1,335,981 | $2,204,369 (65% increase) |
$2,204,369 (65% increase) |
$2,070,771 (55% increase) |
| Subtotal Reoccurring Costs | $1,790,981 | $2,881,369 | $2,881,369 | $2,747,771 |
| First Year Total | $1,927,981 | $5,108,098 | $5,108,098 | $5,108,098 |
| Ongoing Annual Cost (After Year 1) | $1,790,981 | $2,881,369 | $2,881,369 | $2,747,771 |