Residents ask Trenton to keep alley garbage pickup, citing safety, ADA and property-damage concerns

Several Trenton residents used the public-comment period on June 15 to urge the council and staff not to move garbage collection from alleys to curbside on Elizabeth and Riverside drives, saying the change would create safety hazards, mobility problems and property damage.

Michelle Allen (3342 Riverside Drive) said she is handicapped and cannot safely move bins to the curb and asked the city to make an accommodation. Michelle Gagne (3409 Elizabeth Drive) said her neighborhood has almost no driveways and that moving bins to the curb would force residents to wheel heavy carts through snow, mud and narrow spaces and could displace parking on streets that already lack off-street spaces.

Property owner Patrick Kukla (3361 Elizabeth) recounted multiple incidents of damage and close calls involving garbage trucks in the alley: he described a truck sideswiping his car in 2016 and later hitting his fence, and said he placed a boulder to protect a parking spot after repeated strikes. Kukla told the council, "If they slow down, we're fine," and said slower driving would allow trucks to safely make the turn without changing pickup policy.

Neighbor Tim Busey said the majority of drivers make the turn without incident but that a minority appear to push the limits and occasionally strike property. He warned that placing carts at the curb — often a narrow two-foot transition from lawn to street — would make moving full carts difficult in winter and could increase collisions when trucks use mechanical arms or clamshells between parked vehicles.

Residents asked the council to reconsider the DPS plan circulated May 29 and to look for alternatives such as speed-control measures for trucks or keeping alley pickup for the affected blocks. Mayor Rezappa acknowledged the complaints and said staff would follow up with DPS to explore accommodations and safety improvements.