As leaves fall, Harrisonburg Public Works reminds residents of proper disposal

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - As fall leaves continue to cover yards and streets across the area, the city of Harrisonburg is preparing to pick them up starting Monday.

Harrisonburg Public Works outreach specialist Melissa Dixon said residents need to rake leaves about five feet onto their property and keep them out of the street.

She said improper disposal can do more harm than good.

“If they’re left out for the rain to wash them away, they’re going to end up clogging up our storm drains, and then that leads to a risk of flooding,” Dixon said. “To keep those systems clean, we’re being proactive and just picking those up before they can get into those storm drain systems.”

Those collected leaves are put to use, Dixon said. Most go to Eastern Mennonite University for composting and gardening projects, or to the county landfill for ground cover.

Harrisonburg Public Works listed its 2026 Leaf Collection Timeframe from Monday, Nov. 9 until Friday, Dec. 11, 2026, weather permitting.

Collection Schedule:

West Side of Main Street & Forest Hills

• November 9 - November 13 (excludes November 11 holiday)
• November 30 - December 4 

East Side of Main Street & Fairway Drive

• November 16 - November 20
• December 7 - December 11 

November 23 - 24: additional service days for areas with heavy leaf fall across the City.

December 14 - 23: pick up by reservation only. Customers can use the ReCollect reservation portal or call 540-434-5928.