Public Works Begins Intense Cleaning in Preparation for Chinese New Year

PRESS ADVISORY 

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 

Press Contact: (415) 554-6926

**Photo Opportunity** 

PUBLIC WORKS BEGINS INTENSE CLEANING IN PREPARATION FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR FESTIVITIES 

Photo opportunities showcase cleaning activities with the use of special machinery and equipment to clean Chinatown

San Francisco, CA—The Department of Public Works began cleaning and beautification efforts in Chinatown in preparation for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration. The cleaning activities showcase DPW’s cleaning and greening efforts including the removal of graffiti on merchant roll-up doors, steam cleaning sidewalks and city litter receptacles, steam cleaning the tunnels that connect Chinatown to other parts of the city, mechanical and manual street cleaning, and outreach education around illegally dumping in the alleyways and the importance of keeping sidewalks clean and clear during the festivities. Some of the cleaning efforts will require special equipment and lifts to accomplish the cleaning tasks. 

The department participates in cleaning activities during this time of the year to accommodate the large volume of pedestrian traffic that will walk, shop, and visit Chinatown and surrounding neighborhoods during the Chinese New Year festivities. Special cleaning will be completed on the iconic entrance to Chinatown on Thursday, Jan 5 at 6:30 am.

There are number of media photo opportunities from now leading up to Chinese New Year:

Daily (12 am to 7 am) —Steam cleaning on all city litter receptacles in Chinatown and surrounding areas 

Daily (12 am to 8 am) —Mechanical Street Cleaning with Flusher in Chinatown area 

Daily (4 am to 7 am) —Steam cleaning sidewalks along Grant, Stockton, Kearny Streets (between Broadway and Sacramento) 

Daily (4 am to 3 pm) —Graffiti removal on rollup doors of merchants, public light poles and other city maintained furniture 

Daily —Steam cleaning the Stockton Street Tunnel (Special lift equipment brought into clean the ceiling and sides of the tunnel). Pedestrian/traffic lighting will also be repaired, as necessary 

Jan. 5 - 14 —Door to door outreach to merchants about DPW codes to ensure safety 

Jan. 5 starting at 6:30 am —Cleaning and washing of the iconic entrance to Chinatown on Grant Ave. (DPW crew will be use lift to clean and polish) 

Wed. thru Mon. (11 am to 8 pm) —Community Corridors Ambassadors to top off litter receptacles, monitor overflow, and sweep sidewalks 

Mon. thru Sat. (7am to 2 pm) —Manually clean alleyways and side streets around Chinatown 

Jan. 23 - 27 —Steam clean the Broadway Street Tunnel (Special lift equipment brought into clean the ceiling and sides of the tunnel) 

Feb. 4 —Community Clean Team Kick off in Districts 2 & 3 at Portsmouth Square Park

DPW is responsible for the care and maintenance of San Francisco’s streets and much of its infrastructure. The department cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and maintains City street trees; designs, constructs and maintains city-owned facilities; inspects streets and sidewalks; constructs curb ramps; removes graffiti from public property; and partners with the diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco to provide stellar cleaning and greening services. More information is available at www.sfdpw.org

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