Concerns Over Alleyway Sanitation Collection Phaseout in Dallas

Two Dallas City Council members are urging officials to delay the planned phaseout of many alleyway sanitation collections and to create a clear checklist of safety improvements neighborhoods can make to avoid switching to curbside pickups.

In a memo sent Tuesday, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Gay Donnell Willis and council member Paula Blackmon proposed allowing residents to keep alley service if they are willing to pay a higher monthly fee and bring their blocks into compliance with safety standards. This could involve modifying properties and coordinating with utility companies. They also want to give blocks the option to switch to curbside collection at a lower cost.

Background on the Phaseout Plan

The city plans to end alley garbage and recycling pickups for about 26,000 residents starting Jan. 19, 2026, citing worker safety, property damage and cost concerns. Currently, Dallas serves over 261,000 sanitation customers, with roughly 95,000 — about 36% — still using alley collection. Most of those customers are in northeast, northwest and Far North Dallas.

“Thousands of residents value their alley collection service and want their concerns on the proposed transition to be taken seriously,” the memo to City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said. “While this decision ultimately rests with the director of sanitation, we must continue to advocate for the residents we represent and ensure their voices are given thoughtful consideration — particularly in shaping solutions that offer flexibility considering the reasons this conversion decision was made.”

Request for Delay and Alternative Solutions

Willis and Blackmon asked Tolbert to review their suggestions and respond by Oct. 1. They also requested a delay in the January start date to give “those wishing to participate time to communicate with neighbors and come into compliance.” They didn’t provide a recommended alternative start date in their memo.

Sanitation Director Cliff Gillespie didn’t immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment on the memo. Tolbert said she’ll be working with her team to provide a detailed response to Willis and Blackmon, “but it will not happen this week.”

“We will share the response with the full City Council when available,” she said in a statement.

Details of the Phaseout Plan

The city plans to stop sending sanitation trucks into alleys narrower than 9 feet, dead-end alleys longer than 200 feet and unpaved alleys — particularly in neighborhoods where most homes already have front driveways. About 19,000 customers, mostly with front driveways and narrow alleys, are planned to transition to curbside pickup in January, with another 7,000 following in July 2026.

The sanitation director has the authority to determine alley access under city code, so the plan does not need City Council approval to move forward.

Previous Attempts and Public Opposition

Dallas first announced plans in 2024 to phase out all alley collections over two years but paused after significant public opposition. Residents raised concerns about the difficulty of moving bins to the curb, especially for seniors or people with disabilities, and the lack of front space for trash containers. City officials, however, argue that narrow alleys pose safety risks, leading to equipment damage and worker injuries, and that many alleys do not meet modern standards.

Projections from the sanitation department in June showed that the districts represented by Willis and Blackmon could be among the most affected. Willis’ District 13, which includes parts of northwest and north central Dallas, has the most alley collection users — over 14,600 out of 23,000 total sanitation customers. Blackmon’s District 9 in East Dallas has the fourth-most alley collection users, with close to 11,000 out of around 22,400 total customers. District 13 was projected to have around 9,500 customers with alleys less than nine feet wide, while District 9 has a little more than 7,500.

Proposed Rate Changes and Alternatives

Sanitation department officials have already suggested a new plan that would change monthly fees for residents: a new monthly fee of $45.69 for continued alley service and $38.02 for curbside collections. Currently, residents pay $39.73, regardless of where their trash is picked up.

Any change in rates must be approved by the City Council as part of the annual budget. If approved, the new rate structure could take effect as early as October 2026.

But in a memo sent Friday to the mayor and City Council, Tolbert said a more recent analysis found that continuing alley service for the 26,000 affected households would cost between $69.87 and $80.81 per month — far above the $45.69 fee proposed by sanitation officials in June. Maintaining alley service would also require purchasing 100 more trucks and hiring 300 additional workers, she said.

Tolbert noted that the city offers programs to help residents move garbage and recycling bins, including Helping Hands, which provides free assistance to customers with physical disabilities.

“We understand that not everyone welcomes this change. However, it is long overdue, and it would be a detriment to further push this issue down the road,” Tolbert said in her memo Friday. “We have a responsibility to protect our workforce, be good stewards of ratepayers’ dollars for all sanitation customers and provide a reliable service model that can be sustained for decades to come.”

Public Reaction and Concerns

Despite the city’s stance, the plan continues to face strong opposition. An online petition calling for city officials to reject the cancellation of alleyway trash collection had gathered 9,700 signatures as of Thursday. At least half a dozen residents also spoke against the transition during Wednesday’s City Council meeting, arguing the decision lacks transparency and public input.

Residents emphasized that alleys were intentionally designed by the city to support essential services, keeping streets clean and safe. Many raised safety concerns, particularly for seniors and disabled residents, who worry about the physical challenges of moving heavy bins to the curb.

Jeris Queen, a resident of Blackmon’s district, pointed to a city online map showing the north side of his University Meadows neighborhood would remain unaffected by the changes, while his side would lose alley service — despite the alleys appearing nearly identical.

“But why the difference?” Queen asked. “I’ve been told that we have concrete that might be eight feet wide instead of nine. Why won’t the city work with us and with the residents so we can add a foot of concrete instead of using a small statistic to force a major change?”

Several speakers also urged city officials to pause the plan and explore alternatives, like allowing for private trash collection in residential alleyways instead.

Conclusion

The phaseout of alleyway sanitation collections in Dallas has sparked significant controversy and concern among residents. While city officials argue that the change is necessary for safety and cost reasons, many residents are pushing back, citing the importance of alley collection for their neighborhoods and the potential difficulties of switching to curbside pickups. As the city moves forward with its plan, it will be important to balance the needs of residents with the need to ensure worker safety and efficient sanitation services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is the city planning to phase out alleyway sanitation collections?

A: The city plans to end alley garbage and recycling pickups due to worker safety, property damage, and cost concerns.

Q: How many residents will be affected by the phaseout?

A: About 26,000 residents will be affected by the phaseout, with 19,000 customers transitioning to curbside pickup in January and another 7,000 in July 2026.

Q: What are the proposed rate changes for residents?

A: Sanitation department officials have suggested a new monthly fee of $45.69 for continued alley service and $38.02 for curbside collections.

Q: What alternatives have been proposed by residents?

A: Residents have suggested allowing for private trash collection in residential alleyways instead of switching to curbside pickups.