PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

Michael Kennedy, Director
890 Shop Road
(540) 463-3154; fax: (540) 464-4198
e-mail:  publicworks@lexingtonva.gov 

The Public Works Department is responsible for street maintenance and construction, garbage and brush collection and disposal, water and sewer line maintenance and construction, and the maintenance of parks, playgrounds, and cemeteries.  Water turn-ons and turn-offs and the water meter readings for billing purposes are also handled by Public Works personnel.  

Street Maintenance and Construction

There are approximately 30 miles, or 60 lane miles, of streets within the City of Lexington's 2 1/2 square mile area.  The Department is responsible for surfacing, painting, patching, and sweeping the streets in the City.  The Department also makes repairs  to the City's sidewalks and curbing.  

Snow Policy
The Department performs snow removal and plowing operations on the streets.  The property owners or residents are required by City Ordinance to remove snow from sidewalks within 6 hours after the end of a snowfall unless the snowfall ends during the night or on a Sunday, in which case, the sidewalks must be cleaned by 12:00 noon, the following day.  

Street Lights, Traffic Signals
Beyond direct maintenance to the streets, the Department installs, maintains, and repairs the traffic signals and street signs in the City.  Report street light malfunctions to the Department of Public Works; we will advise Dominion Virginia Power for appropriate action.  When reporting a non-functioning street light, provide if possible the location or address and the utility pole number (if displayed).  [top]

Garbage and Brush Collection and Disposal

Effective January 4, 2010, the Public Works Department collects garbage from residences 1 time each week.  Collection days for residences are set forth on the attached table and map.   Garbage should be placed curbside or beside the street in cans with lids the night before collection.  Cans should be no larger than 32 GALLONS in size.  Garbage is collected on every holiday except Christmas Day.  There is no collection fee for residential garbage collection.  All garbage is hauled to the Rockbridge County Landfill for disposal.   To find out more about recycling in our area, please see Recycling.

Garbage collection for businesses is 6 days per week, Monday through Saturday.  The business garbage is collected on all holidays except Christmas Day and should be placed either curbside in cans or in dumpsters the night before.  There are collection fees for business garbage collection which is based on the type of business and the volume generated.  Those fees are billed on the bi-monthly water bills as a sanitation fee. 

Brush Collection
All residents and businesses receive free brush collection 1 day per week (see map).  There are 5 brush collection routes, one each day, Monday through Friday and each resident is entitled to have 1/2 of a truck load picked up per week.  Old furniture and appliances are also picked up by this crew.  If a resident has more than a 1/2 load of brush to be collected, they can request a special pickup of the remainder of the debris at the current rate of $50.00 per 1/2 truck load by calling the Public Works Department at (540) 463-3154.  If not, the remainder of the debris will be picked up at 1/2 load each week until it is gone.  Public Works does not collect brush on holidays observed by the City; they collect it on the next working day after the holiday.  

The Department collects leaves from the middle of October until the middle of December.  Residents should place leaves at the back of the sidewalk or road shoulder in piles or bags for collection.  There is no fee for leaf collection.   [top]

Grass clippings will no longer be collected in piles or in trash bags. The time of loading the grass clippings, transporting them, tipping fee charges, and the space they take up in the landfill is not cost efficient. If mowing is performed on a regular schedule, grass clippings do not harm, and in fact are beneficial, for most yards. If you have grass clippings collected by a lawn care service, they will have to dispose of them -- the City will no longer pick them up.

Water and Sewer Line Maintenance

Water and sewer service is provided to all residential and commercial buildings in the City and to some adjoining sections of Rockbridge County.  Lines are maintained and extended as necessary to provide water and sewer service to new buildings and developments within the City.  There are approximately 2,600 water meters that are read for billing purposes.  Department employees read about 1/2 of the meters one month and the other half the following month.  Employees record metered consumption and address questions or problems which arise concerning the bills or consumption.  The Public Works Department prints and mails water and sewer bills.  The City Treasurer collects and posts payments at her office in City Hall, 300 East Washington Street.  

Water turn-ons and turn-offs should be requested through the Public Works Department, although those individuals who are renting houses or business property must first pay a $50.00 deposit at the Treasurer's Office before the water is turned on and a new account set up.  A $20.00 administrative fee is added to the first water bill for all new accounts.  Water bills are mailed by the 25th of the month that the meters are read and payment is due by the 25th of the following month.  If the water bill is not paid by the 25th, a penalty of 1 1/2% of the water bill or $5.00, whichever is greater,  is added to the original amount and a second notice is sent out advising that if the water bill is not paid by the 12th of the following month, the water will be disconnected.  If the water is disconnected, a $20.00 administrative service charge will be added to the water bill and the entire amount paid before water service is resumed.  [top]

Parks

The Public Works Department maintains all municipal property devoted to recreation use as well as 2 City cemeteries.  Within the City, the Department maintains 3 large parks, 3 neighborhood parks, an athletic field complex and swimming pool, and 2 City school athletic fields.  All of the facilities are open to the residents of the City and the Rockbridge County area.  The parks (excluding Kids Playce) may be reserved through the Public Works offices (540) 463-3154.  

The Department also maintains a 560 acre site on Brushy Hill and a 2000+ acre site at Moore's Creek Dam in Rockbridge County.  The Moore's Creek Dam site is open to the public for passive recreation and for fishing by permit.  Fishing permits are sold in the Finance Department, 1st Floor, City Hall, 300 East Washington Street.  The Brushy Hill site is open for passive recreation only.  

Cemeteries

The Department is also responsible for the maintenance and operation of 2 City owned cemeteries.  Evergreen Cemetery, which has about 5 1/2 acres, is located on New Market Place near Central Elementary School while Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery is located in the 300 block of South Main Street and is approximately 11 acres in size.  There is an office at the Stonewall Jackson Cemetery, 463-2931, where equipment and records for both cemeteries are stored and maintained.  [back]