This study investigated the behavior of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) in urban sediments collected in commercial, residential, and industrial areas of the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, and evaluated different degrees of pollution in this urban subdrainage basin through the use of the geoaccumulation index (Igeo). Concentrations of Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn were analyzed using acid digestion (EPA method 3050) in fractions residential area (3.34, Zn; 3.36, Cd; 2.94, Ni; 1.46, Pb) > industrial area (2.74, Zn; 1.78, Cd; 3.01, Ni; 1.45, Pb), indicating that the sediment was “highly contaminated” in the case of Zn and Ni, while for Cd, it was “moderately to highly contaminated,” and for Pb, it was “moderately contaminated.” The pollution is associated with traffic flow in all areas. Research should be increased to make urban systems more sustainable, reducing their pollution potential and minimizing the delivery of potentially polluting particles into freshwater bodies. The Igeo allows for the determination of a simple index of diffuse pollution state associated with urban sediments.