Long Beach Clean Team Initiative a success

Throughout the summer, the Long Beach Clean Team Initiative has been moving across the city neighborhood-by-neighborhood to keep the streets looking clean and garbage free. Volunteers and city crews have worked together to sweep, pull weeds, paint and more.

To date, 32 streets have been swept, totaling 106,000 feet of roadway. Weeds have been removed from 17 streets, totaling over 54,000 feet of curbline.

All the drains from Tennessee to New York Avenues have been inspected along with 148 from Nevada to New Hampshire Avenues, from the beach to the bay. Drain cleaning is still in progress, but so far 57 have been found to require maintenance.

Additionally, 7,100 feet of sidewalk along Beech Street, including all public garbage cans, has been power-washed and sanitized.

The Police Department evaluated the conditions of all signs, City Council President Len Torres said, with damaged signs in the process of being replaced. Crews are also conducting thermoplastic painting road lines and crosswalks.

The Building Department issued 23 code violations in the West End so far, for issues such as overgrown grass and weeds and abandoned or unkempt homes and properties.

On Aug. 8 the Clean Team will conduct its final neighborhood sweep through the Canals and President Streets. Volunteers are invited to meet in Clark Street Park at 9 a.m. and participants will clean from Long Beach Boulevard going east. Garbage bags and gloves will be supplied by the city.