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Do you ever wonder why our streets are so clean (depending on where you live), especially in urban areas? To some, it borders on magic. Alas, it is not magic, but really it is the work of the street sweeper. The street sweeper is usually an odd looking machine that travels our urban streets (and parking lots) in the early morning hours picking up various collections of waste. With that said, you may be wondering why a town government would invest in such a complex and expensive machine just to remove a little waste from the streets? Well, let’s find out why and what a street sweeper really is.
General Operation
Street sweepers come in a variety of sizes and types. Some are broom sweepers, some are air sweepers, while some are simply unique in their specification (i.e. customized). The most common type of sweeper is a unit attached to the back of a four-wheel truck with brooms mounted on the side of it. Though not as common, the three-wheel variety of street sweeper, the Elgin Pelican model, is probably the most recognizable. Personally, I am most familiar with the Pelican model, as that has been the standard sweeper where I live for many years.
Never the less, most sweepers clean streets and parking lots through the same basic mechanism. The only difference between an air sweeper and a broom sweeper is the mechanism used to collect the debris. As you can imagine, the broom sweeper is dependent on spinning brooms to collect debris and “scrub” roads clean of auto fluid, while an air sweeper, even though it has brooms, typically has a powerful suctioning device on it designed to suck up debris. From there, each type of sweeper essentially does the job in the same manner.
After the debris is collected via brooms or suction, it is then transported via a conveyor to a debris storage tank on the sweeper. From there, the debris is usually disposed of in a proper manner by simply dumping the debris out via a hydraulic pump. Some models may have a storage tank for water, which is fed down to the brooms to assist in cleaning up irritating items that are on the roadway.
A Necessity?
Some readers may be wondering if a street sweeper is really worthwhile. Is an odd looking machine with a broom on it really worth it? Oddly enough, I have been around these machines since my younger years (and much more) and I can personally vouch for their usefulness. Granted, when it comes to parking lot clean ups, that is the decision of the business owner. However, when it comes to city streets, they are indeed a necessity.
Many town governments and their taxpayers like to see every aspect of their city as clean as possible and streets are usually the dirtiest aspect. Usually though, looks are not the only consideration of town governments when they plan to purchase a street sweeper. A very practical use is to ensure that storm grates are kept clear of debris. As you can surely predict, if a storm sewer grate is covered with debris before a heavy rain, the added volume of rainwater and debris could have the potential to create a dangerous flooding situation.
A few other uses include making it a lot easier to clean up after a large event. For example, if the carnival comes to town and sets up shop in a local parking lot, chances are that the parking lot is going to be strewn with trash when the carnival leaves. Many street sweepers have the ability to pick up this trash in no time at all. One other thing to keep in mind is that a street sweeper can easily clean up patches of oil, anti-freeze and other fluids that leak from autos in everyday traffic that could potentially cause an accident or harm to the environment.
Safety
If you are an early morning commuter or your locality sends out a street sweeper during the day, there are a few safety tips that you should keep in mind while sharing the road with a street sweeper. Depending on the model involved, the operator may only have the ability to see via the side mirrors, hence there are a lot of blind spots involved. With that said, even though a vast majority of the time the street sweeper is found near curbs, you should always follow at a safe distance. By following at a safe distance, you will have better vision of the other lane and know when to pass safely. Also, you are potentially saving yourself a trip to the body shop if a rock or other piece of debris is thrown behind the street sweeper.
Photo and Source:
www.elginsweeper.com
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