Hello everyone,

We’ve heard from many neighbors in Congress Park regarding the new Department of Transportation and Infrastructure policy of having trash receptacles brought to the front of homes instead of using the alley. This shift in service has been confusing and frustrating for many of you, and several of you also raised valid concerns.  Some include the lack of advance notice, lack of stakeholder process, the difficulty of moving trash bins up and down the Denver roll that’s common in Congress Park, that trash bins are now occupying significant space on our streets, and how apartment buildings still have their trash trucks drive up alleys to empty dumpsters. Also, you shared how the purpose of building alleys in the first place was to make the front yard and street a pleasant experience while putting cars, garages, and trash in the alleys. My staff helped compiled and document those concerns so that I could send them to DOTI – the Solid Waste division specifically. We’ve done that.

At this point, I still have concerns that should be addressed, and we continue to hear concerns from many of our neighbors in Congress Park. I’ve asked for time in committee to get DOTI on the record to address their approach to the citywide trash changes as well as specifically addressing the mess in Congress Park.

This request has support from Councilmember Ortega and President Gilmore, and Councilmember Herndon, the chair of the committee that oversees DOTI, is in the process of finding a time on the schedule.  DOTI has talked about how there’s “80% compliance,” but as one constituent recently noted in their email to us: we should strive for service for our residents, not “compliance.”

We’re waiting for that scheduled time/date and Teresa St Peter in my office will send out an update to everyone who has written in so far.

Best regards,

Chris