DALLAS — Trash pickup from alleys will continue in Dallas for now.
The city is pausing a proposal that would have phased out alley trash pickup and required nearly 100,000 trash and recycling customers to bring their trash to the curb instead, according to a memo from Assistant City Manager Alina Ciocan last week.
The majority, 62%, of households in Dallas use curbside trash pickup, with 38% using alleyway pickup, according to city officials.
The city council was briefed on the plan in June, with some members and residents voicing concerns about it.
“Since the June briefing, we have heard from many residents about the proposed changes to transition away from alleyway collection service. The City values resident input and is committed to evaluating the feedback we receive as it relates to this initiative,” Ciocan wrote in the letter. “Therefore, in an effort for us to reset and revisit this approach, interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has asked our Sanitation Team to postpone the suggested implementation timeline to allow for further community engagement. Simultaneously, we will leverage this feedback to continue mapping out a comprehensive approach and phased strategy that is equitable and user friendly.”
City staff had previously recommended phasing out the majority of alleyway collections over a period of 24 months. City staff had presented curbside pickup as safer, more economical and more efficient than alleyway collection.
City staff expect the results of a fee analysis related to alleyway collection services in September, followed by community meetings arranged by city council members and a follow-up briefing to the city council by next summer, according to Ciocan’s memo.