Richmond debuts new "Baby Broom" bike lane sweeper

The latest: The Department of Public Works added the roughly $60,000 sweeper to pair with MF Broom — which made a comeback last month after being MIA for years — to tackle the litter and debris that a larger machine might miss.

• Baby Broom was publicly announced on Friday, though it was purchased last year and put to work last month.
• The goal: Clean every bike lane alongside MF at least once a month.

Yes, but: Both MF and Baby are only active in the spring and summer, leaving fall and winter gaps.

• That's led to frustration among cyclists, who say that's when the lanes get clogged with leaves and debris that then stick around for months.
• Vassar Sumpter, facilities manager at DPW, told Axios the long-term goal is to add a year-round sweeper, especially as the city's bike lane network grows.

What we're watching: Whether there's another renaming contest on the way, like there was for MF Broom — a name inspired by the late rapper MF Doom — in 2022.