Central Services

The Street Department works to ensure the safety of our city-owned public roadways, alleys, and berms through regular maintenance and repair.

Please note: Not all streets and roadways within the city limits are owned by the City. Some are under the control of the state, the county, or a private entity. The Street Department does not provide service to these streets. For assistance in determining responsibility for a specific street or roadway, please contact us.

Street Department Responsibilities:

• Snow removal
• Street maintenance and repair
• Sidewalk and curb maintenance and repair
• Street sweeping
• Mowing public right-of-ways
• Leaf Pickup
• Clean-up of dead animals in the roadway
• Signage for traffic control and safety
• Maintaining necessary detours and road closures
• Rendering assistance to Police,
• Fire, and EMS services during emergency calls

For questions about trash, garbage, litter or debris, please contact the Refuse Department.
For questions regarding grass, brush, and trees please contact Vector Control.

The City Forester is charged with managing all trees in the City of Michigan City by monitoring all planned tree work in the city and works in collaboration with the Mayor’s office, City Engineer, Planning Department, Parks and Rec, Street Department, Central Maintenance, Vector Control and Michigan City Tree Board.

All hired contractors must be licensed with the City of Michigan City to do tree work public or private private and an online license application is listed below. A tree permit is required for any person, business or organization (public or private) desiring to remove, prune and/or plant trees on city-owned rights-of-way.

The Vector Control Department works to to ensure compliance with laws and regulations that protect public health and prevent vector-borne disease.

Vector Control Responsibilities:

• Surveying, monitoring and controlling mosquito populations within the city
• Maintenance and cutting of tall grasses on city easements
• Abatement of overgrowth on abandoned properties
• Litter cleanup in public spaces

Begin in your own backyard
Eliminate any standing water. Flower pots, gutters and toys all serve as catch places for stagnant water and need to be emptied regularly. Clean leaves from gutters to prevent the “ideal breeding ground” for mosquitoes. Keep yards trimmed and bushes cut back to stop hiding places for mosquitoes.

Spraying for mosquitos
Please be advised, our drivers are not allowed to run the sprayer when people are present. If you are outside when the spray trucks come by, our drivers are instructed to turn the sprayers off. We spray 6 nights per week during breeding season, as weather permits.