Tolbert asks staff to revisit and reassess alternatives but continue to make safety top priority
DALLAS – Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has directed the Sanitation Director to temporarily pause implementation of the alley-to-curb transition in order to fully evaluate additional options for continuing alley service where residents strongly prefer it, while addressing the City’s ongoing safety and efficiency concerns.
Under the Hybrid Approach presented to the City Council in June 2025, approximately 26,000 customers with 8–9-foot alleys, unimproved or semi-improved alleys, or extended dead-end alleys—primarily where most homes had front driveways—were scheduled to transition to curbside service beginning January 2026.
With this temporary pause, the scope of evaluation has been expanded to include all 44,000 customers who live along 8–9-foot alleys citywide. This ensures consistent consideration of all residents in the most problematic alley conditions.
Impacted residents will be notified of the temporary pause through publications on the City’s website, the City’s social media platforms, and by news releases and media coverage.
The Sanitation Department will conduct a survey in October and November to measure resident interest in continuing alley service. Among the alternatives being reviewed is the possibility of service through franchised solid waste collection providers, which would operate under a different cost model and could result in higher rates. We strongly encourage all affected residents to participate in the survey so their input can help shape the path forward.
“We hear you,” said Tolbert, “and change is hard. “I’ve asked the staff to reconsider, review and reevaluate all the available feasible options and think creatively about solutions that may be workable. We must balance customer service expectations with worker safety.”
Tolbert said there are steps individuals and neighborhood associations can take to remedy safety concerns. Specifically, overgrown vegetation can be removed, tree limbs can be cut back, and residents can remove obstructions along paved alleys.
