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Bike Lane Sweeper Usage Advancing in the U.S. Marketplace
by Ranger Kidwell-Ross, editor
WorldSweeper.com
One of the offshoots of climate change has been an increase in the number of people riding bicycles, not just recreationally but also to and from work. As you will read, in this issue we feature the advent of dedicated bicycle lane sweepers as the usage of bicycles has ramped up, in large part due to climate change issues. One result has been that more cities than ever are separating dedicated bike lanes out from vehicle lanes.
Bicycle lanes need to be kept clean and free of debris in order to reduce the risk of accidents, flat tires and cyclists swerving into traffic to avoid obstacles. Clean, well-maintained bike lanes are also more attractive to cyclists and so encourage more people to choose biking as a mode of transportation. This can help reduce overall traffic congestion and promote sustainable urban mobility.
Because of the importance of keeping bike lanes debris-free, this has spawned the advent of a crop of narrower sweepers being introduced into the U.S. Historically, because of the larger streets in America, full-width air and broom sweepers have been the norm. These are not only very expensive; they also are too wide for bicycle lanes.
While traditional street sweepers are more expensive to purchase, operate, and maintain, dedicated bike lane sweepers can be more economical. Some innovative designs, like bicycle-towed sweepers, offer an even more affordable option for smaller cities with limited budgets. Smaller, specialized sweepers can access narrow bike lanes and paths that larger street sweepers cannot reach. This ensures that all parts of the bicycle infrastructure can be properly maintained.
By promoting cycling through well-maintained bike lanes, cities can contribute to reducing vehicle emissions and improving air quality. With dedicated equipment, cities can clean bike lanes more regularly, ensuring they remain in good condition for cyclists.
As cities implement more separated bike lanes, having equipment specifically designed to clean these narrow spaces becomes increasingly important. Clean bike lanes encourage active transportation, contributing to improved public health outcomes. Our July issue provides a spotlight on a variety of different makes and models of sweepers that are suitable for sweeping bike lanes.
In other news: We hope that Philadelphia's new mandate to use sweepers to clean its roadways also has the same effect of contributing to improved health of its citizenry. If the city actually follows through this time, it's certain to provide a boost to Philadelphia's image.
As always, if you have questions and/or any news of potential interest to the power sweeping community, please let us know. Between this publication, the WorldSweeper.com website, and the World Sweeping Association, we'll be sure to get the information passed along to interested readers.
Good Sweeping,
Editor, WorldSweeper.com
Executive Director, World Sweeping Association
Member, PAVEMENT Hall of Fame
PS If you're a contractor I urge you to check out the many benefits of membership in the World Sweeping Association. Also, if you haven't 'liked' our WorldSweeper Facebook page, what are you waiting for? That's where we offer a variety of industry previews and updates on an ongoing basis.
July Newsletter Contents
(Scroll down to read stories or click on links below.)
- Three Bike-Powered Bike Lane Sweeper Models Now Available
- Seattle's Electric Street Sweeper Pilot Program Seeking EV and Bike Lane Effectiveness Answers
- RAVO's R2 and E2 Models: Perfect as Bicycle Lane Sweepers
- Multihog Versatility Good For Bike Lane Sweeping... And Much More!
- Tenax Offers Two Models Suitable for Bike Lane Sweeping
- Philadelphia Pledges to Sweep Every City Street in 13 Weeks
Three Bike Rider-Powered Bicycle Lane Sweeper Models Now Available
Debris in bike lanes is nothing new. In most any city with bike lanes, officials regularly hear complaints about glass, gravel and chunks of dirt in the bike lanes. Bike lane debris can create safety hazards and even pop bike tires, says Kara Vernor, executive director of the Napa County Bicycle Coalition.
Regular-sized city street sweepers are too wide for the protected lanes marked by a series of waist-high plastic posts, although several manufacturers offer smaller-width powered sweepers that can handle bike lanes. However, due to expense of motorized bike lane sweepers the Coalition, which is a bicycle safety advocacy nonprofit, recently purchased a human-powered street sweeper that's towed behind a bike.
When members of the Coalition hand-swept a local bridge it took about three hours for just one side. During its demo of the bike-towed sweeper the Coalition managed to clean both sides of the bridge in about two hours. That kind of efficiency – combined with the low cost of this type of sweeper – provide a reason to take a close look at these new machines.
Check out the article.
Seattle's Electric Street Sweeper Pilot Program Seeking EV and Bike Lane Effectiveness Answers
In September of 2023 the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) debuted a program to test out a compact electric bike-lane sweeper vehicle barely 5 feet wide and designed to weave between bollards and curbs to remove the leaves and rocks that can impede cyclists.
SDOT has already determined that most climate emissions in Seattle come from transportation, specifically short one to three-mile vehicle trips. Access to PBLs free of debris and leaves is a key strategy for reducing the city's impact on the climate. This pilot is part of a program aimed at ensuring a safe and reliable zero emission alternative travel options year-round.
Check out the details.
RAVO's R2 and E2 Models: Perfect as Bicycle Lane Sweepers
RAVO, a global manufacturer of street sweepers, is proud to announce the launch of its latest models, the RAVO R2 and the fully electric RAVO E2, specifically designed for sweeping bicycle lanes.
As cities continue to expand their bicycle infrastructure, the RAVO design team's new sweepers address the growing need for specialized equipment to maintain these lanes efficiently and sustainably. These compact sweepers are industry standouts, offering exceptional performance and unrivaled innovation.
Check out the press release about RAVO's R2 and E2.
Multihog Versatility Good For Bike Lane Sweeping... And Much More!
Multihog's CV model offers a sweeper package that is ideal for bicycle lane sweeping. Other modules to fit the CV are available.
The CV offers a width of 47 – 63 inches, making it an ideal size for bicycle lane cleaning. Don't want to pick up material but would rather just remove it off to the side? The Multihog CV also offers a roller broom for areas with no curb-and-gutter or other situations not requiring debris removal.
View more about the versatile Multihog's bicycle lane and other usage info.
Tenax Offers Two Models Suitable for Bike Lane Sweeping
Tenax International is an Italian company that bills itself as the top global manufacturer of 100% electric street sweepers and street washers. Tenax offers two sweepers that are suitable for bicycle lane sweeping. Its SmartWind electric line are ride-on street and sidewalk sweepers the company bills as "the most compact high dump ride on street and sidewalk sweeper."
The other line Tenax touts as being suitable for bike lanes is its MaxWind model. On both Tenax sweepers the batteries may be specified as lithium, AGM or lead acid, with sweeping times varying from 8 to 10 hours depending upon which are used. The sweepers are outfitted with variable sizes of water tanks. Although headquartered in Italy, the company has an office in Wisconsin in the U,S.
View more about the two models Tenax cites as suitable for bicycle lane sweeping.
Philadelphia Pledges to Sweep Every City Street in 13 Weeks
Philadelphia has long had the unwanted sobriquet "Filthadelphia." In January of 2019 we wrote an article about the plans to, once again, start sweeping the perennially dirty streets of Philadelphia. One reported result: the sweepers didn't sweep up to 75% of the time but residents still got ticketed for parking during sweeper hours.
Then, in 2021, we again reported on the City's attempt to get street sweeping back into regular operation. Now, three years later, Philadelphia officials have made their biggest pledge ever: to clean each and every street in the City in just 13 weeks, with the project slated to be completed by August 26th. Officials are describing it as the largest quality of life undertaking in the city's history.
City officials have even set up a website location where residents will be able to track progress. We applaud the City's latest initiative and hope it works out better than have some of the previous attempts to clean the Philadelphia's streets.
Check out a brief article and audio of Philadelphia's 'largest quality of life undertaking in the city's history.'
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