City of Denver Aims To Reduce Parking Tickets

DENVER -- It's not always easy to remember when the street sweeper is due.

Just ask Crystal Candela. She received a ticket Tuesday morning.

"It's very stressful," Candela told 7NEWS. "I struggle with money already."

Candela was among numerous residents who didn't heed the "No parking on the 2nd Tuesday of the month" sign in her west Denver neighborhood.

"If you don't move your car, we can't get the dirt and trash out of the street," said public works intern Emily Williams. "That dirt will eventually end up in the South Platte (River) or in the air."

Operations Supervisor Brian Nieto said debris can also be a safety issue. He pointed to recent flooding at Leetsdale and Oneida.

"It clogs up storm drains," Nieto said. "So wastewater crews try to clean them and we try to remove the surface material and debris. With vehicles in the way, we can't sweep under them."

"Denver Public Works doesn't want to issue tickets," Williams said. "Issuing as many tickets as we can doesn't get the street clean."

Williams is touting a new program designed to educate the public about the link between street sweeping and clean air and water.

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