As autumn settles in, Lakewood Township’s Department of Public Works (DPW) is preparing to tackle the seasonal blanket of fallen leaves covering front lawns and streets. While DPW is equipped to manage the collection, homeowners play a crucial role by prepping their leaves for easy pickup.
For November and December, DPW’s specialized fleet of leaf collection trucks will visit each home in Lakewood to remove leaf piles, provided they are set out correctly. “In order for leaves to be picked up, they need to be raked to the curbline, similar to where you would park a car,” explains DPW Director Phil Roux. To ensure the process goes smoothly, leaves should be in loose piles — no bags or other materials mixed in — and should be at least 10 feet from stormwater drains.
Schedule for Leaf Collection
Leaf collection will align with residents’ regular garbage pickup days, following a zone-based system:
- Zone 1: Garbage pickup on Mondays. Leaf collection the first week of each month (Nov 1–8 and Dec 2–6).
- Zone 2: Garbage pickup on Tuesdays. Leaf collection the second week of each month (Nov 11–15 and Dec 9–13).
- Zone 3: Garbage pickup on Wednesdays. Leaf collection the third week of each month (Nov 18–22 and Dec 16–20).
- Zone 4: Garbage pickup on Thursdays. Leaf collection the fourth week of each month (Nov 25–27 and Dec 23–27).
Lakewood residents should note that DPW will only visit each home twice, once in November and again in December, so it’s essential to have leaf piles ready on time.
“We thank Lakewood’s homeowners for preparing their leaves properly and helping make the collection process smooth and efficient,” Director Roux said. “The DPW looks forward to continuing to work with residents to keep Lakewood clean, safe, and beautiful.”