Road and Bridge

Branch Pick-Up

Throughout the spring and summer months, the tree branch chipper is out weekly. They pick up branches that are put in the parkway with the cut-side facing the street. Workers will spend up to 15 minutes at a house in 1 week. Tidy piles placed the correct way will reduce the time it takes to chip. Longer branches are easier to handle and will also take less time. Please refrain from putting anything out that is larger than 8 inches in diameter; the chipper has trouble getting these through because it is meant for smaller brush. Small piles of branches and twigs should be disposed of in yard waste containers to be picked up by Allied Waste. The chipper does not pick up branches that are put in the alleys. Public Works employees trim every alley. This is to insure that vehicles may drive through without being scratched and for visibility purposes.

The resident, not a landscaping company, must trim branches if they would like Public Works to pick them up. Landscaping companies are to remove any brush they trim or cut down.

Branches placed at the curb will not be picked up by Public Works after October 31st. Remaining branches can be broken up and placed in yard waste bags or yard waste toters provided free of charge by Allied Waste. If you do not have a yard waste container but would like 1, please contact Allied Waste at 708-385-8252.

Leaf Collector

During the autumn months the leaf collector is taken out weekly. The leaf crews pick up piles that have been raked out to the curb by the residents. The leaves must be along the edge of the parkway, not placed in the street. It is against Village ordinance to do this and, therefore, may not be picked up. Please have patience if the leaf collector or chipper truck bypass your house. The Village has an area dedicated to dumping wood chips and leaves and they are more than likely going there. The crews follow a route and will pick up your pile when they get to your street. Please note that there should be no obstructions for the leaf collector. The truck should be able to drive alongside the curb to collect leaves. If there is a vehicle or other obstruction, the crew will make a note of it and bypass your pile. See additional information on proper leaf disposal (PDF).

Snow Plowing

During the winter, Public Works efficiently begins plowing as the snow accumulates. They take care of every Village street, however, they do not plow driveways! Driveways are the sole responsibility of the homeowner. When shoveling your sidewalk or driveway please remember to throw excess snow in the yard, not into the street as this is against Village Ordinancecodes #25-39. A snow pile placed in the street is an additional hazard that can be easily avoided.

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Community Action Plan

The Village of Crete has begun the process of eliminating all ash trees in the Village parkways that have been affected by the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). In 2002, the EAB was discovered in North America but it wasn’t until 2006 that it was found in Illinois. This menacing beetle has been the culprit behind the destruction of many ash trees. Our goal, as a community, is to detect and eliminate all ash trees that have been affected by the Emerald Ash Borer. Below are several links to the Department of Agriculture that contain useful information to assist in identifying and eliminating this pest.

Maple Tree Tar Spot Disease

Many maple trees have shown signs of the maple tar spot disease. The diseases are called “tar spots” because their appearance so closely resemble droplets of tar on leaf surfaces. Tar spot alone is rarely serious enough to threaten the health of trees, but sometimes there can be so many spots that the tree becomes unsightly. Another side effect is that tar spot may cause early leaf drop.

The first symptoms of infection by a tar spot fungus usually show up in mid-June as small, pale yellow spots. The spots enlarge and their yellow color intensifies as the season progresses. On red maple and silver maple, a black spot usually develops in each yellow spot by mid-July to early August. The black spot grows in diameter and thickness until, by late summer, it truly does look like a spot of tar. The surface of the spot may have a pattern of wavy indentations or ripples.

Current research has shown that the tar spot fungus does not cause long term damage to the host. The most effective management practice in a home lawn situation is to rake and destroy leaves in the fall. This will reduce the number of overwintering “spots” (containing the fungal reproductive structures) which can produce spores the following spring. However, where other infected trees are growing nearby, those leaves should also be raked and destroyed. Mulching leaves will suffice to destroy many of the spots before they mature, but the mulch pile should be covered or turned before new leaves begin to emerge in the spring.