Vote next Tuesday, Brush and Yard Waste Curbside Collection

Primary Spring Election – Tuesday April 3

Please remember there is an upcoming election on Tuesday, April 3. This is a very important local and state election and your participation in our democracy is greatly appreciated.

In-Person Absentee Voting Available

In-Person Absentee Voting and voter registration are available at all Madison Public Library locations and Streets East. Hours and locations are listed here. To view a sample ballot, look up your voter registration or your street address at https://MyVote.wi.gov.

If you are voting absentee through the mail, remember that Madison's mail is sorted in Milwaukee, increasing the amount of time it takes to return your ballot to the City Clerk's Office. Rather than mailing your absentee ballot back to the Clerk's Office, you are welcome to drop it off with the Clerk's Office personnel at an absentee voting site. Otherwise, be sure to mail your ballot back to the Clerk's Office as soon as possible so it can be counted.

To find your polling location for Election Day, visit www.cityofmadison.com/WhereDoIVote.

Curbside Brush Collection Begins April 2

On Monday, April 2, the Streets Division will begin curbside brush collection. Curbside collection should last from April through the end September. Residents will have multiple opportunities for curbside brush pickup during collection season. The official final round of brush collection is weather dependent and will be announced when that date is known.

Residents who wish to utilize the curbside brush collection service are encouraged to use the Pickup Schedule map on the Streets Division's brush website. Using the map will help guide residents on when to place material to the curb to ensure timely collection.

Once on the Pickup Schedule map webpage, residents can enter their address in the "Find an Address" field in the top left corner of the site. This will zoom the map to their neighborhood and show their current collection status.

The Pickup Schedule is updated daily when brush collection is active. Residents wishing to know the most current information regarding the whereabouts of crews and the collection status of their neighborhood should check the Pickup Schedule website regularly.

Residents can also call the brush and yard waste collection hotline at 608-267-2088 for estimates on collection. The hotline recording is updated weekly.

What is Brush?

Brush is woody material trimmed from trees, shrubs, and bushes that measure over 18 inches in length.

How is Brush Collected?

A two-person crew collects brush. Material is picked from the terrace by hand then fed into a wood chipper. With this in mind, there are collection guidelines to follow to ensure the safety and efficiency of the workers.

Brush Guidelines

In order for brush to be collected at the curb, it must not be longer than 8 feet in length, and must not be thicker than 8 inches in diameter.

Brush should be piled on an open area of the terrace away from trees, utility poles, and other obstructions.

Be sure to pile brush with cut ends facing the same direction, and separate brush from any foreign objects like loose dirt, metal, wire, rocks, and items set out for large item pickup.

Do not put brush into bags, boxes, or any receptacle. Brush placed into a container will not be collected. Smaller brush piles may be bundled with string or twine. Bundles must be shorter than 4 feet in length and must not weigh more than 40 pounds. Oversized bundles, and brush bundled with wire, will not be collected.

Do not pile brush in the street, or obstruct the sidewalk.

Also, do not mix brush with yard waste. Brush is a separate collection than yard waste, so the piles must be kept separate. Piles with material mixed together will not be collected.

Finally, the Streets Division will not collect brush that has been cut by a contractor. Contractors who trim trees, shrubs, and bushes must haul the material their work created to an appropriate processing facility.

Special Note: Large Brush Piles

Piles that will take chipper crews longer than 10 minutes to process will be assigned to a one-man crane vehicle to collect. The crane vehicle, also called a "clam", will typically arrive within three business days of the chipper crew.

Brush Processing Center

Contractors who cut brush from parcels within the City of Madison can deliver brush to the processing center at 121 E. Olin Ave. to be chipped for a per ton fee. Madison residents who cut brush from a city parcel can also elect to deliver brush to the processing center.

Mulch is also available at this location. More information regarding fees for mulch can be found on the Brush Processing Center's page of the Streets Division's website.

Spring Yard Waste Collection Starts April 2

On Monday, April 2, the Streets Division will begin curbside yard waste pickup for the spring. There are two curbside collection opportunities during the spring pickup window. After both collection opportunities occur, curbside yard waste collection will end until the autumn leaf collection season.

Residents who want to know when to place material to the curb to ensure collection during the spring pickup window are encouraged to visit the Streets Division's yard waste website, www.cityofmadison.com/yardwaste, and click on Pickup Schedule. The Pickup Schedule shows where crews are working and which areas of Madison should place yard waste to the curb.

Once on the Pickup Schedule webpage, residents can enter their address in the "Find an Address" field in the top left corner of the site. This will zoom the map to their neighborhood and show their current collection status.

The Pickup Schedule is updated daily when curbside collection is active. Residents wishing to know the most current information regarding the whereabouts of crews and the collection status of their neighborhood should check the Pickup Schedule website regularly.

Residents can also call the brush and yard waste collection hotline at 608-267-2088 for estimates on collection. The hotline recording is updated weekly.

What is Yard Waste?

Yard waste is plant material. Examples include pulled weeds, fallen leaves, and other plant debris. Yard waste also includes pumpkins, crabapples, black walnuts, pine cones, vines, and even twigs that are less than 18 inches long.

How Yard Waste Should Be Prepared for Collection

When setting out yard waste, residents can pile the material loose on the terrace or curbside. Residents can also place yard waste into open compostable paper bags, or in open plastic bags. If bags are used, they must be open at the top. Yard waste can also be placed under a tarp to prevent it from blowing.

Do not place yard waste in the street or gutter. Yard waste in the street creates a nutrient-rich runoff that leads to algae blooms and weed growth in the lakes. Yard waste piles in the street can also clog storm drains, which may lead to street ponding during rainstorms.

Yard waste piles should be placed away from obstructions such trees, utility poles, mailboxes, and fire hydrants.

And, do not mix brush with yard waste. Brush is a separate collection process than yard waste. Piles of brush and yard waste folded together will not be collected.

More information about preparing yard waste for pickup can be found on the Streets Division website, or by watching the "How to Prepare Yard Waste for Pick-Up" video on the City of Madison YouTube channel.

Drop-off Sites

Residents and taxpayers can also use the City of Madison drop-off facilities. Yard waste can be delivered to 1501 W. Badger Rd. or 4602 Sycamore Ave. And a yard waste only drop-off site is located at 402 South Point Rd.

All three drop-off sites will be open seven days a week starting March 31. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays the sites will be open 8:30am to 4:30pm. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the sites will be open 8:30am to 8:00pm. These hours will remain in place until December 2, 2018.

Residents and taxpayers are restricted to one load a day. The maximum load accepted is the equivalent of one pickup truck, or an 8 foot by 4 foot trailer.  Residents and taxpayers attempting to bring in more than this during one trip will be denied access.

All users of the drop-off site are expected to show proof of residency or taxpayer status to use the site.

Contractors may not use these drop-off sites to dispose of the material.

For more information regarding the drop-off facilities, curbside collection, and other Streets Division services, please visit the Streets Divsion website.