Mission
The Right of Way Maintenance Section’s goal is to maintain the street right of way and Public property in a way that it provides a safe environment for vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and the efficient conveyance of storm water to the storm drain infrastructure.

Operations
Right of Way Maintenance operations are comprised of Heavy Equipment maintenance and Parkway maintenance. The Heavy Equipment Crew is responsible for the maintenance of road shoulders, earthen flowlines, retention basins, catch basins, and concrete channels. The Parkway Crew is responsible for graffiti operations, illegal dumps, landscape irrigation repair, and weed abatement.

• Road Shoulders
• Earthen Flowlines
• Retention Basins
• Catch Basins
• Concrete Channels
• Graffiti
• Illegal Dumps
• Irrigation Repair
• Weed Abatement

Road Shoulders
The City attempts to grade every mile of unimproved shoulder twice each year. Unimproved shoulders are graded to establish a safe surface for emergency exit from the roadway, maintain adequate road drainage during rain events, and to remove vegetation on the shoulders. There are times when water or vehicles can cause the shoulder to fall away from the edge of pavement. This can cause a precarious situation for a vehicle that is required, or accidentally, leaves the paved road. If you notice such an area, please call us at (661) 723-5985.

Earthen Flowlines/Channels
The City’s earthen channel is the Amargosa from Ave. M to 10th St.W. and Ave. K-8 and then picks up again at 15th St.W. and Ave J-10 and continues north to the CalTrans basin at SR14 and Ave. H. Earthen flowlines are developed at the edge of development where the existing infrastructure ends and it is essential to convey water beyond the extent of the current storm drain system. These flowlines carry significant amounts of nuisance water as well. As a result, vegetation grows abundantly and can often create standing water issues. The City grades these flowlines to ensure that water flows and that standing water does not create habitat for breeding mosquitoes. The City will grade each flowline on an annual basis with the majority of the focus coming in the Spring and Summer months. These flowlines are also sprayed with herbicide to prevent excessive vegetation growth. The AV Mosquito and Vector Control District spray the flowlines with insecticide annually to control breeding mosquitoes. If you notice a flowline that is creating a standing water issues, please call us at (661) 723-5985.

Retention Basins
As part of the City’s Master Plan of Drainage, retention basins have been constructed throughout the City. The basins are designed to contain the first storm surge and prevent flooding conditions in the low lying areas. The basins are then allowed to evaporate or are pumped to re-establish their design capacity. Residential curb and gutter drain to retention basins when they are incorporated into the tract design. In the summer months, when turf irrigation is at its heaviest, nuisance water can keep a basin full of water for the entire summer. Right of Way crews will pump the basins when the situation demands and the AV Mosquito and Vector Control District will place mosquito fish to lessen the breeding of mosquitoes. These basins often have water in them and access is restricted by locked gates. It is both unhealthy and unsafe to wade or swim in these basins. If you notice that the gates to a basin are open or unlocked, please help us to protect our children by calling (661) 723-5985 and we will treat this with the highest priority.

Catch Basins
Catch basins are the improved structures in the curb and gutter flowline that allows water to enter the underground storm drains. These basins typically have curb inlets to allow water to enter the catch basin. The inlets are typically guarded to prevent children or toys from climbing or falling through the curb inlet. The City services these basins with a vacuum truck to remove any collected debris, thus preventing it from entering the storm drain lines. Since this system is connected to the retention basins and ultimately, the desert, please do not pour paint, used oil, or any other fluids down the storm drain inlets. This system is for storm water only. Please do not blow or place yard clippings in the gutter as they eventually will make their way to a catch basin. If you should witness someone illegally dumping in the storm drain system, please call (661) 723-5985.

Concrete Channels
Portions of the Amargosa Creek that flow through Lancaster have been channelized from Ave. K and 22nd St. W. to Lancaster Blvd. and 27th St. W. These channels have concrete side slopes with earthen bottoms. They have gated access points at the major arterials. These channels are often dumping grounds for shopping carts and other bulky items. Right of Way crews maintain these channels by removing overgrown vegetation and removing illegal dumps. The access points to these channels are normally locked for your safety. If you notice an unlocked gate or debris that should not be in the channel, please contact us at (661) 723-5985.

Graffiti
The City of Lancaster takes a proactive step in the abatement of graffiti. Graffiti can have a negative effect on the perception of the quality of life across the City. Right of Way crews, upon notification, will abate graffiti within 24 hours. The Engineering Division is designing new perimeter walls with an anti-graffiti coating to ensure any tagging can easily be removed. Painting over graffiti is the primary means of abatement used by the crews. Bicarbonate soda blasting, pressure washing, and new release agents have allowed us to restore decorative block and other sensitive surfaces that might be damaged be abrasive blasting or look unsightly should they be painted. The crews take every precaution to eliminate overspray and attempt to blend the patch as best as possible. The City does not color match as this would require large inventories of various color paints. If you notice graffiti in or around your neighborhood, call us at (661) 723-5977 and help us keep Lancaster “Lookin’ Good”.


Illegal Dumps
One of the greatest assets that Lancaster has is also its greatest problem…undeveloped land. Some people feel it is acceptable to take rubbish out into the desert as a means for disposal. It is not uncommon to see couches, appliances and other items, eve bags of trash, on many of our unimproved dirt roads. The City’s contract with Waste Management of Antelope Valley (WM) City of Lancaster residents get four (4) free bulky item pick-ups of up to four (4) items each, per year at no additional charge. Additional pick-ups or additional items can be collected for an additional charge. You can schedule a bulky item pickup on the WM website, through the WM Mobile App for your Apple or Android device, or by calling Customer Service at 661-947-7197 with at least 48 hours in advance of your regular service day. Right of Way crews continue to remove illegal dumps within the public right of way, but this does not address illegal dumps on private property. Through the City’s Code Enforcement Division, property owners can be required to abate illegal dumps on their property.

Irrigation Repair
Right of Way maintenance includes a crew that supports the City’s Landscape Maintenance Contractor with irrigation repairs to pressurized irrigation lines. The Landscape Maintenance Contractor is responsible for ensuring that the spray, bubbler, and emitter heads are working efficiently. Backflow valves, mainline valves, and irrigation controllers are the responsibility of Right of Way maintenance. If you notice a missing irrigation head or landscape irrigation flowing across the sidewalk, please contact (661) 723-5985.

Weed Abatement
Right of Way crews are responsible for weed abatement in the public right of way. This includes weeds that emerge at the asphalt/gutter joint, the back of curb/sidewalk joint, and at the back of sidewalk. This also includes weeds that emerge in the stamped concrete center island medians and on lots owned by the City’s Redevelopment Agency. The City contracts for the application of herbicide using large spray rigs in the Drainage Assessment District. The contractor uses an indicator with the herbicide so if you notice an area that looks as if has been painted green, you will know that herbicide has been applied. Staff applying herbicide have obtained a Qualified Applicators Certificate (QAC ) from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and are limited to specific locations and conditions when applying herbicides. The primary herbicide used by the City of Lancaster is RoundUp®.

If you would like to submit a request for service, please click here, or call (661) 723-5985.