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Chapter 8. STREET SWEEPING COST CONSIDERATIONS
8.1
Chapter Introduction
This chapter is designed to help Permittees determine the funding and resources needed to
implement an effective street sweeping program. It begins with an overview of the procedure for
assessing funding requirements, defining influential cost factors (Section 8.2.1) in relation to
program elements and discussing how to identify program needs and allocate resources (Section
8.2.2). The structure of the program will influence the required resources, including staff, materials,
and equipment (Section 8.2.3). Users should first review these sections to understand how
resource needs are determined and apply this process to the cost-driving program components
discussed in Section 8.2.4. This chapter also details how to calculate the required FTEs and
funding to meet a program’s needs (Section 8.3). Using the guidance of this chapter, the user
should be able to answer the following question: What resources and funding are required to meet
each program need? This chapter also details different street sweeping funding sources and
describes the cost considerations of in-house versus contracted street sweeping. The intended use
of Sections 8.2 and 8.3 are described in in the bulleted process shown below:
First, review Sections 8.2.1 through 8.2.3 to understand how resource needs are
determined.
Next, review each component in Section 8.2.4 while considering program needs as
determined in the former sections (Sections 8.2.1 through 8.2.3).
Once necessary resources have been determined, review and perform the calculations in
Section 8.3 to estimate the number of full-time staff equivalents (FTEs) and the costs of
labor, equipment, and materials required to operate the street sweeping program.
This chapter intends to serve as a starting point for estimating resource needs. Since the chapter’s
guidance may not encompass all jurisdictions’ individual needs, the reader should review these
sections and identify which components apply. There may also be unique items specific to a
jurisdiction that are not identified in this chapter but should be added to estimate funding needs.
The contents of this chapter are meant to be used jointly with Appendix 8-A, which is a calculator
tool that uses resource quantities (materials, equipment, and staff) needed to operate each
program component to calculate total staff and funding needs. Sheet 2-Staffing Options and
Sheet 3-Equipment and Materials in the calculator detail the resources needed to operate the
program elements outlined Sheets 4-11. Please refer to Sheet 0-Instructions for additional details
regarding the use of this tool. Finally, refer to Sheet 1-Funding Summary to gather total staff and
funding estimates to satisfy all program needs. Table 8-1 details the cost-driving program
components detailed in this chapter and their corresponding calculator sheet(s).
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Table 8-1. Chapter Sections and Corresponding Calculator Sheets
8.2
Program Needs and Resource Allocation
8.2.1 Defining Cost-Driving Program Components
Planning for and developing a new municipal street sweeping program begins with identifying
jurisdictional goals, which may be influenced by meeting Phase I or Phase II MS4 Permit
requirements, safety or maintenance concerns, public expectations, and/or water quality concerns
such as TMDLs or proximity to salmon habitats. Once defined, these goals will inform which
program elements are implemented. Jurisdictions should consult Section 4.3 to determine which
street sweeping elements are needed to achieve permit requirements and their jurisdiction’s
program goals.
The street sweeping program elements were used to inform cost-driving program components,
where cost-driving program components are defined as the specific elements or activities within
the program that contribute to the overall expenses. Examples of cost-driving program components
are shown in Table 8-2. While some of these directly reflect program elements, others were refined
or added because of their direct impact on cost [1, 2].
The applicable program elements selected in Chapter 4 will inform which components will
influence the expenses of a jurisdiction’s street sweeping program. The following subsection
includes typical cost-driving program components associated with street sweeping programs.
8.2.2 Identifying Program Needs and Allocating Resources
Identifying and understanding the needs of the street sweeping program is necessary to allocate
resources and funding. Program needs are the street sweeping program components necessary to
meet a jurisdiction’s program goals. Resources are the staff, materials, and equipment to meet the
street sweeping program needs.
Section 8.2.4 includes a list of information to consider when determining resource needs for each
program component. When reviewing these considerations, municipal staff should estimate the
time needed to implement each program component, as well as the frequency of tasks, or amount
of material or equipment required to allow for estimation of funding and staffing needs (shown in
Chapter Section
Corresponding Calculator Sheet(s)
8.2.2 – Allocating Resources
Sheet 2 – Staffing Options
Sheet 3 – Materials and Equipment
Error! Reference source not found. – Scheduling
Sheet 4 – Scheduling
8.2.4.2 – Administration and Program Management
Sheet 5 – Administration
8.2.4.3 – Operations and Maintenance
Requirements
Sheet 6 – Maintenance Quals & Training
8.2.4.4 – Parking Regulation and Enforcement
Sheet 7 – Regulation and Enforcement
Error! Reference source not found. – Education and
Outreach
Sheet 8 – E&O
8.2.4.6 – Documentation and Reporting
Sheet 9 – Documentation & Reporting
8.2.4.7 – Insurance, Damage Claims, and Workers’
Compensation
Sheet 10 – Insurance, Damage & WC
8.2.4.8 – Street Waste Disposal
Sheet 11 – Disposal
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Section 8.2.3). A gap-analysis can be a helpful tool to estimate resource needs using the following
sections. A gap analysis is a process where the estimated resources needed are compared to
available resources to identify gaps between a current program and the desired future program. The
gap or discrepancy between the current and future program is the additional resources needed to
achieve program goals. Specific considerations include:
Identified staff needed to operate the program element, including the type of staff
members, their experience, specialties, and wages, including overhead rates. Reference
Section 4.3.2 for more details.
The amount of time required by each staff type to achieve program goals and implement
each element, as well as staff availability (this will inform the number of FTEs required to
achieve program goals).
o Time required by staff members can be estimated using records from previous years
or by contacting jurisdictions of a similar size.
o FTE values can also be estimated using literature values as described in Section
8.2.
Materials and equipment necessary to operate each program element, including the start-
up costs to establish a program as well as the ongoing costs associated with program
upkeep.
Table 8-2 provides some example program resources, which may help jurisdictions fulfill program
needs and can be used to assist with resource allocation.
Table 8-2. Example Resources for Establishing and Maintaining a Street Sweeping Program
1Items that fall under start-up equipment and material needs may also be ongoing.
8.2.3 Additional Considerations
8.2.3.1 Contracted Services
If Permittees utilize contracted services for sweeping, some responsibilities and requirements will
shift, as does the allocation of cost. For example, if the contractor owns the equipment, they may
also assume responsibility for its maintenance and repair. A jurisdiction will need to review their
specific contract or define their needs in a request for proposals (RFP) and ensure all costs are
accounted for in their fees to the contractor or within their own budget. Alternative duties such as
Resources to Meet Program Needs
Examples
Staff Types
Administrative Staff, Junior and Lead Operators,
Engineers, Traffic Control Officers, Crew Leaders,
Contracted Drivers, Mechanics, etc.
Start-Up Equipment and Materials1
Cost of Equipment, Storage Space, Office Overhead
Equipment, Uniforms, Repair Kits, Paper for Fliers,
GPS to GIS Systems, Cameras, Real-Time Notification
System, Ticketing Materials, etc.
Ongoing Equipment and Materials
Fuel, Oil, Insurance Costs, Water (Washing), Disposal
Costs, Software Licensing, Cleaning Materials, Paper
for Fliers, Routine/Nonroutine Maintenance Costs,
Ticketing Materials, Repairs, Equipment
Replacements, etc.
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contract management, inspecting and evaluating contractor work, and coordination with the
contractor will become the responsibility of the municipal staff, and the in-house resources will
need to accommodate this workload. However, regardless of whether in-house or contracted
services are utilized, many responsibilities and their associated costs will remain for expenses such
as scheduling, software licensing, and education and outreach. The required resources,
responsibilities, and costs must be carefully considered when deciding whether to operate a street
sweeping program entirely in-house or to hire a contractor.
8.2.3.2 Cross-Training
In some cases, employees are cross-trained to fulfill street sweeping duties as well as other
jurisdictional duties. For example, the City of Mukilteo has four staff members cross-trained to
operate street sweeping equipment among other responsibilities, enabling the City to effectively
administer and operate its street sweeping program. Some eastern Washington jurisdictions have
reported cross-training street sweeping operators to run the snowplow in the winter. Cross-training
employees can result in cost savings if street sweeping duties can be combined with other
municipal needs, minimizing the need to hire additional staff. Cross-training can also improve job
satisfaction and prevent burnout by incorporating variety into employee work.
8.2.4 Cost-Driving Program Components
The following subsections review various cost-driving program components, which each correlate
with a portion of Appendix 8-A’s calculator (please reference Table 8-1 for the sheets that correlate
with each chapter section). Each subsection highlights items specific to its respective program
component that may influence expenses. Additional considerations to assist users in estimating
costs associated with each program component can be found in the corresponding calculator
sheet for that component. The funding calculator uses the quantities of materials, equipment, and
hours needed to operate each program component to calculate total staff and funding needs.
Error! Reference source not found. – Scheduling
8.2.4.2 – Administration and Program Management
8.2.4.3 – Operations and Maintenance Requirements
8.2.4.4 – Parking Regulation and Enforcement
Error! Reference source not found. – Education and Outreach
8.2.4.6 – Documentation and Reporting
8.2.4.7 – Insurance, Damage, Workers’ Compensation
8.2.4.8 – Street Waste Disposal
In addition to this manual, it is recommended that jurisdictions apply existing street sweeping data
(if available) to supplement the tools provided. Permittees can use existing records and collected
data to assist in estimating program needs and identifying any unique items as they review each
subsection, if available. For example, if a jurisdiction’s program is broken out to a level of detail
showing what was previously spent on specific street sweeping elements, this data can be used to
estimate future funding needs by scaling up program costs to include any missing components. If
existing records or data are unavailable, Permittees can use information from literature or contact
other jurisdictions to help inform their cost estimations. Section 8.3.2.1 includes example cost
information from literature and discussion with Washington jurisdictions. Either way, Permittees
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should collect information that will assist them with estimating quantities of resources, time
required to complete tasks, and frequency of tasks to meet program needs. This information will be
used to develop a cost estimate as detailed in Section 8.3.
8.2.4.1 Scheduling
Standardized scheduling can help jurisdictions determine the staff, equipment, and materials
necessary to operate their planned routes at their desired frequency and help allocate resources to
maximize cost efficiency. Section 4.3.3 contains additional details about scheduling. Refer to
Sheet 4-Sweeping Routes in the calculator (Appendix 8-A) for detailed calculations related
specifically to scheduling. Street sweeping route considerations to help inform the cost estimation
include:
Identifying streets to be swept and determining routes (see Section 5.5 for additional
guidance)
Dividing streets into routes that operators can sweep efficiently
The amount of time to sweep each route
Sweeper utilization (time sweeping during regular shift vs. other tasks such as traveling to
dispose of waste)
Sweeping route frequency
Determining when each route is going to be swept
These estimations can help determine the number of curb miles swept, amount of staff time
required to sweep routes, and costs of completing sweeping routes.
8.2.4.2 Administration and Program Management
Municipal street sweeping program administrative responsibilities include establishing policies and
procedures, managing staff and budgets, and coordinating with regulatory and other municipal
departments. Reference Section 4.3.1 for more information on administrative responsibilities.
Refer to Sheet 5-Administration (Appendix 8-A) for the calculations related to administrative
responsibilities. When estimating administrative costs, consider the time, staff, and resources
needed to:
Develop and implement policies, procedures, resolutions, and ordinances
Coordinate with other departments
Recruit, hire, and train street sweeping staff and/or develop a request for proposals (RFP),
hire contractors, and manage contracts
Acquire funding, track expenses, and maintain budgets
Update sweeping routes, schedules, and protocols
8.2.4.3 Operations and Maintenance Requirements
Street sweeping programs require funding for training maintenance staff and performing equipment
maintenance, repair, and replacement. Reference Section 4.3.4 for recommended operations and
maintenance protocols and Section 4.3.7 for additional details about training.
Use Sheet 6-Maintenance Quals. & Training (Appendix 8-A) for detailed calculations related to
operations and maintenance requirements. Consider the following when estimating…