Ah, the approach of Spring in DC… when the weather begins to warm up, then gets cold again, then warms up… and you have to move your car to the other side of the street.

DPW street cleaning and alternate side of the street parking begins Tuesday, March 1st (through October 31st). DPW will give out warning tickets until Friday, March 4th — after that, it’s a $45 ticket if you’re parked on the side being cleaned. Or you could get towed.

DPW says that just because you saw a street cleaning machine pass down your street doesn’t mean you can park on the restricted side during the prohibited time. According to DPW, a supervisor may follow behind the sweeper and could require the block to be swept again, so don’t park during the two-hour sweeping period, or you could get towed.

“This program is critical to keeping the District clean,” said Acting DPW Director Christopher J. Shorter.

Generally, parking is prohibited for two hours (9:30 am to 11:30 am or 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm) while sweeping is underway.

Look for the signs on your street to determine when (and if) your street is scheduled to be cleaned each week.