Lewiston to distribute 23,000 carts in August as Cart2Curb rollout includes Nov. 16 leaf pickup plan

Megan Bates, deputy for maintenance and operations, told the council the city will begin distributing the new automated collection carts August 3 and that distribution of 23,000 carts will take roughly three to four weeks. “They will come with some information…with the carts that will explain about cart placement,” Bates said, adding that Casella will send postcards and letters to residents and that a resource guide will be included with each cart.

John Kachinske, environmental services superintendent, said the Solid Waste web page includes an address lookup and a calendar showing collection days. He and Bates urged residents to attend one of several public information sessions (Geiger, Clarion, McMahon and Apple Valley dates) to see sample carts and review placement guidance. Bates said narrow, turnaround‑challenged streets will still require alternate pickup procedures and that Public Works is installing parking signs in some areas to accommodate the new system.

Councilors pressed staff on transitional details. In response to a question about fall leaf pickup, Bates said the city will run a program similar to the spring brush pickup beginning Monday, November 16; leaves must be in compostable or paper bags for curb collection and Public Works anticipates spending about a week collecting them. Bates also said the city will provide two Saturdays of free drop‑off at the Solvay facility during the leaf season. “If you have room, you can put them in your waste container,” she said, noting options for residents who cannot complete all leaf removal in a single week.

The presentation also covered customer service pathways: Casella will own and manage the carts and customer care phone service, and Public Works will maintain an after‑hours contact that can route residents to Casella support. Staff said they will tag carts placed incorrectly during the rollout and will work with residents to reposition them.