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Bike Lane Sweeper Program

Keeping bike lanes clean in Sacramento with "Munch" and "Crunch"
A man wearing a bike helmet and with tattooed arms sits on an ebike pulling a bike lane sweeper.
Julian Hernandez demonstrates how the bike lane sweeper, pulled by an e-bike, picks up debris and stores it in the sweeper. (Credit: P Chadwick)

Bike lanes are an essential part of Sacramento's transportation network, providing safe and comfortable routes for people biking to work, school, shops, and recreational destinations. Over the past decade, the city has invested heavily in new protected bike lanes, expanded riverfront trails, and converted former railroad corridors into vibrant cycling routes.

As our bicycle network continues to grow, so does the need to maintain it. Glass, leaves, gravel, litter, and other debris can quickly accumulate in bike lanes, creating hazards that force cyclists into traffic or increase the risk of crashes and flat tires. Building great bike infrastructure is only half the battle—keeping it clean and safe is equally important.

That's where our Bike Lane Sweepers come in.

Thanks to a SHINE Grant from SMUD, the Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (SABA) purchased two innovative bike lane sweepers designed specifically for cleaning bicycle facilities. These compact sweepers are towed by electric bicycles, allowing us to efficiently reach bike lanes, trails, and protected facilities throughout the city without the cost, emissions, or logistical challenges of traditional street-sweeping equipment.

Each sweeper was custom-built by a bicycle enthusiast and engineer in the Bay Area and is powered by a rechargeable battery system that efficiently collects debris while navigating narrow bike facilities inaccessible to larger maintenance vehicles.

Affectionately named Crunch and Munch, our sweepers will be traveling throughout Sacramento helping remove the glass, leaves, and debris that make everyday rides less enjoyable. We'll be tracking their adventures on Strava so you can follow along as they roll through neighborhoods, trails, and bike corridors "eating" the little annoyances from your daily commute.

Interested in helping keep Sacramento's bike network clean and safe? We're looking for volunteers to assist with operations, route planning, outreach, and hauling these amazing machines around town.

To get involved, contact julian@sacbike.org.

Follow our bike lane sweepers on Strava using the QR code.

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