Changes to Trash Collection Services in Dallas

Dallas’ sanitation department is recommending the city stop alleyway trash collections for some 30,000 customers, forcing some to haul garbage bins to the street for pick up.

For tens of thousands of others, it could lead to higher monthly bills to continue alleyway service.

The proposal unveiled at Wednesday’s City Council session marked the latest attempt from Dallas officials to phase out garbage and recycling pickups from alleys after hitting pause on plans last year amid backlash from residents.

Background and Proposal Details

The sanitation department recommends ending pickups in alleys that are 9 feet wide or less in neighborhood blocks where most homes have front driveways, have alleys that aren’t fully paved and in dead-end alleys longer than 200 feet. Sanitation officials estimate the change would affect 30,000 customers around the city.

Cliff Gillespie, Dallas’ sanitation director, said the proposal was based on feedback from residents and called it the best scenario to address department concerns while affecting fewer customers than last year’s proposal that would have ended all alley collections.

“Our real concern is safety in narrow alleys,” Gillespie said.

“We see routine equipment damage that is running in 8- and 9-foot alleys, contact with fences, utility poles, overhead wires,” he said. “More troubling are the worker injuries and near-misses for electrocution and fires.”

Impact on Residents and City Services

Dallas provides weekly trash and recycling pickups for more than 261,000 customers, and 36% of them — nearly 95,000 — are alleyway collections.

There are some city districts in northeast, northwest and far north Dallas where the majority of garbage and recycling collections are picked up from alleys rather than curbside.

Residents have argued that many neighborhoods were designed specifically for alley collections because driveways are at the back of their homes with limited space at the front to store trash bins.

Residents have also expressed concerns that bins would have to be wheeled either through their homes or over their lawns to be put on the curb and that people who have disabilities or who are older would face challenges moving the bins.

Proposed Changes and Costs

If the City Council approves the sanitation department’s proposal, the change could start as soon as January and be fully in place by next July.

The department is also projecting a new monthly $45.69 fee on customers for alley pickups and a $38.02 monthly bill for curbside collections. The current monthly residential sanitation rate is $39.73 for customers regardless of where their trash is picked up.

Gillespie said it would ultimately be up to the City Council whether to change the rate structure.

Gillespie said another possible scenario would be to end pickups in all alleys that are 9 feet wide or smaller, which is estimated to affect more than 44,000 customers. The city could also opt to end all alleyway collections or maintain current service as is and buy 100 new, smaller trash trucks.

City Council Response and Next Steps

There was no consensus from the majority of the City Council on Wednesday whether to move forward with the department’s recommendation, though council members Adam Bazaldua, Paula Blackmon, Lorie Blair, Jesse Moreno and Kathy Stewart said they believed it was the best option of the four scenarios.

“I don’t like it, but I understand it,” said Blackmon, who represents East Dallas’ District 9, which was projected to have a little more than 7,500 customers affected by the recommended change. “And I think this is a good middle ground from … the conversation we had a year ago. It’ll be painful before we get to the better part of this.”

Not everyone was in agreement. Council member Bill Roth said sanitation collections were a basic service residents expect and deserve, regardless if it’s gotten from the street curb or an alley. He said it likely wouldn’t be a proposal homeowners in his district would support.

Conclusion

The proposed changes to trash collection services in Dallas have sparked debate among residents and city officials. While some see the changes as necessary for safety and efficiency, others are concerned about the impact on residents, particularly those with disabilities or limited mobility.

The City Council will continue to discuss and refine the proposal, taking into account feedback from residents and city staff. Ultimately, the decision will depend on finding a balance between providing quality sanitation services and addressing the concerns of all stakeholders involved.

FAQs

Q: Why is the city proposing to end alleyway trash collections for some customers?

A: The city is proposing to end alleyway trash collections for some customers due to safety concerns and the high cost of operating rear-loading trucks in narrow alleys.

Q: How many customers will be affected by the proposed change?

A: Approximately 30,000 customers will be affected by the proposed change, which will require them to haul their garbage bins to the street for pickup.

Q: What are the proposed monthly fees for alley pickups and curbside collections?

A: The proposed monthly fees are $45.69 for alley pickups and $38.02 for curbside collections.

Q: When could the changes take effect?

A: The changes could start as soon as January and be fully in place by next July, pending City Council approval.