Street sweeping in Baltimore will expand citywide on Wednesdays beginning in April to stop tons of trash, grime and pollutants from ending up in the Chesapeake Bay.

Drivers are asked to move their vehicles on designated days to make room for the mechanical sweeping.

The city's Northwest and Southeast portions will be swept on the first and second Wednesday of the month. The streets in front of houses and businesses with odd numbers will be swept on the first Wednesday and the even-numbered side will be swept on the second Wednesday.

The Northeast and Southwest sections of the city will be cleaned on the third and fourth Wednesdays. The odd side of the street will be swept on the third Wednesday and even side on the fourth Wednesday.

Downtown streets will continue to be swept daily.

Additional expansions to the street sweeping program in the city's central district will come in future months.

Officials said the action also is necessary to clear trash from blocking storm drains and causing flooding during heavy rains. Clean streets also reinforce to residents and visitors a commitment that Baltimore is striving to be a greener and healthier city, officials said.

Public meetings are scheduled at 6 p.m. Monday at the Zeta Center for Healthy and Active Aging at 4501 Reisterstown Road and Thursday at the Southeast Anchor Library at 3601 Eastern Ave. Public works officials will be on hand to answer questions.

Additional meetings are scheduled at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 25 at the League for People with Disabilities, 1111 E. Cold Spring Lane, and at 6 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Fred B. Leidig Recreation Center, 301 S. Beechfield Ave.

ywenger@baltsun.com

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