Car-X Proposal, Christmas Tree Collection

Car-X Proposal Presentation

In my last email, I provided information about a potential Car-X proposal at the East Johnson and East Washington Streets intersection to replace the vacant printing building.

The developer will be making a presentation to the Eken Park Neighborhood Association at their monthly meeting on Thursday January 5 at 6:30pm at Bashford Church at 319 North Street (use the back parking lot and entrance). All are invited to attend.

Christmas Tree Collection Begins January 3

Starting Tuesday, January 3 Madison Streets Division will begin Christmas tree collection. As in years past, there will be two rounds of tree collection if the weather allows. Keep in mind that plowing and other snow and ice control issues take priority over tree collection, and it could cause delays.

Place your tree on the curb by 7:00 am on January 3 to be collected prior to January 17. Placing your tree to the curb after January 3 could result in your tree not being collected during the first round.

The second round of Christmas tree collection likely will begin on Tuesday, January 17. Christmas trees placed to the curb by 7am on January 17 will likely be collected prior to February 1.

If you place your tree to the curb after 7am on January 17, you may miss your final collection round. Residents electing to have their trees collected at the curb rather than bringing the tree to a drop-off site are strongly encouraged to have their tree curbside prior to January 17.

After the second round of tree collection is complete, crews will transition to other priorities. Trees set to the curb after the second round of collection occurs in your neighborhood will sit on the curb until crews begin regular brush collection in the spring. The official start date of regular brush collection will be announced when that date is known.

Wreaths, evergreen rope, garlands, and boughs will not be collected with Christmas trees. These items regularly contain wire that can jam our equipment by becoming entangled inside the chipper. Please place these into your tan refuse cart.

Collection Rules

Trees are processed with expensive wood chippers. These machines can be easily damaged by metal, wire, and other foreign material. To protect this equipment and the safety of our workers we ask that all residents follow these rules. Failure to follow these rules may result in your tree being left at the curb.

• Remove all tree stands regardless of whether they are metal or wood.
• Remove all light strings, ornaments and other metal objects.
• Remove any tree bags.
• Place trees at the street edge only.
• If trees become buried under snow residents are asked to dig out trees.

Drop-Off Sites

Residents and City of Madison taxpayers may also bring your Christmas trees to one of our drop-off sites. The sites are located at 1501 W. Badger Rd. on the southwest side and 4602 Sycamore Ave. on the east side.

The drop-off sites are open 7:30am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday. These hours will remain in effect until expanded hours begin at 8:30am on Saturday, March 25.

You can also get information regarding Christmas tree collection by visiting our website, www.cityofmadison.com/streets, or by calling the brush collection hotline at 608-267-2088.

No Refuse or Recycling Collection on Monday, January 2

There will be no refuse or recycling collection on Monday, January 2 in observance of the New Year's Day holiday. The drop off sites will also be closed on January 2. 

Madison residents who normally have their refuse and recycling collected on Mondays should instead place their carts to the curb for collection by 7am on Tuesday, January 3. Only residents within the Monday district will have their collection of refuse and recycling delayed due to the holiday. 

Refuse and recycling for the Tuesday district will also be collected on January 3. 

Since the Streets Division will be collecting refuse and recycling from both the Monday and Tuesday districts on January 3, it is imperative that residents in these areas place their carts curbside prior to 7am on that day. Due to the additional work load, Streets Division crews may not be able to collect carts set out late, and those residents who have set their carts out late may have to wait until their next scheduled collection day for pick up. 

Also, since Streets Division crews will be diverted from their normal tasks in order to collect refuse and recycling from the Monday and Tuesday districts on January 3, other services, such as large item collection, may be temporarily delayed. 

Information about all of the Streets Division's recycling and solid waste services is available at our web site www.cityofmadison.com/streets.