D.C. Department of Public Works officials have announced this year's end date for weekly residential street sweeping: starting Oct. 29, you won't have to worry about moving your car from one side of the street to the other until spring.

The announcement came late on Friday, a full week in advance, which is a lot better than last year, when public works officials didn't let anyone, including, it seemed, some of their own employees, know that street sweeping had ended until after the fact. Some residents reported being issued street sweeping-related parking tickets days after the department had said enforcement had ended.

DPW suspends residential street sweeping every year in the fall, both for safety reasons and so that crews can focus on leaf collection and get ready for snow removal season. This year's leaf collections will begin on Nov. 8, and you can download a brochure with details on how it will work this year here.