The Public Works Department is responsible for constructing and maintaining the City’s infrastructure. We accomplish some of the work with our employees and equipment; the rest is contracted to private firms, such as garbage collection and large paving projects. In this way, our citizens receive the benefit of the best service at the least possible cost.

There are approximately 500 streets in the City of Gardendale. We cover about 57 square miles of area containing 400 lane miles of City streets, as well as 30 lane miles of Jefferson County roadways, and 52 lane miles of State of Alabama highways.

Under the leadership of Jeff Holliyan, Public Works Director, with the aid of a knowledgeable and experienced supervisory and administrative staff, our employees perform the following tasks:

1. Our supervisors review plans and specifications to ensure that proposed commercial, industrial and residential development is consistent with City regulations and master plans. They inspect these projects as construction progresses and serve on various other boards and committees.

2. Our office staff maintains these and other records of past projects to facilitate location of underground utilities and to identify boundaries between public and private properties.

3. We maintain street markers, stop signs and various other traffic control devices (but not traffic lights).

4. Our mechanics maintain and repair the department’s vehicles and equipment; they perform jobs that range anywhere from minor repairs to major overhauls.

5. Our construction and maintenance employees perform the following duties:

A. Remove litter and other objects from roadways;
B. Repair and patch potholes, driveways, shoulders and around
C. mailboxes;
D. Clean ditches on City rights-of-way;
E. Run daily routes throughout the City to pick up and haul brush and trash from residential areas;
F. Provide leaf vacuum pick-up service from November through January 31st of each year;
G. Apply herbicide to right-of-way vegetation;
H. Install drainage pipe, build manholes and headwalls;
I. Remove dead animals from right-of-way;
J. Assist the Police Department with stray animals;
K. Mow grass and trim rights-of-way;
L. Apply pesticide to City rights-of-way when necessary based upon information obtained from the Jefferson County Health Department concerning the imminent threat of the West Nile virus.

Our department works in conjunction with the Mayor, City Council members, other City departments as well as various utility companies during both routine and emergency situations; we respond on call to work during emergency situations in order to clear roads after storms, spills and during snow and icy weather.

Our employees take an active role in the beautification of the City through several innovative programs:

• Gardendale America in Bloom
• City Clean-Up Week (first or second week of April and a date in the fall TBA)
• Christmas Tree Recycling Program (Date TBA)
• Free Mulch Program for our citizens from recycled brush - call for details
• We are proud to provide our services to one of the largest and fastest growing cities in Jefferson County.