“We sweep for aesthetics,” said Tim Payne, the streets and stormwater supervisor for Lino Lakes.
Payne is also quick to point out that cleaning city neighborhoods is good for area lakes and streams.
“The first and foremost reason we sweep is to remove sediment and nutrients from the road surface before they enter storm flow and enter our surface waters,” Payne said. “One of the primary pollutants found in stormwater is phosphorus and that comes from the soil and organic matter that’s delivered to the road surface from trees and grass clippings.”
Keeping city streets debris-free also increases curb appeal.
“The roads look nicer when we sweep,” Payne said. “We sweep in advance of road maintenance so the roads are clean when we maintain the road. The roads are safer when they’re free of sand and debris.”
Lino’s lanes
Rob Boldt is one of five street sweepers who cleans up Lino’s lanes.
“I’ve been doing this for about 26 years now,” Boldt said.
On a typical day, Boldt slowly maneuvers the massive machine through city blocks as the sweeper does the dirty work gathering stuff from the pavement.
“Take pride in cleaning my city that I’ve worked in for a long time,” Boldt said. “The residents talk to us, they wave at us. The kids love it when we come by. They get all excited and they think it’s a great thing to see the street sweeper coming by.”
Lino Lakes has 110 miles of road and a total of 220 lane miles.
“We sweep for certain two times a year,” Payne said. “We sweep in the spring and then again in the fall, but we also sweep many times in between.”
When Boldt is finished cleaning up a neighborhood he dumps the debris into an orange city truck and then is off to the next block.
Lino Lakes is getting another street sweeper through a Rice Creek Watershed District grant in 2027.
