Some Baltimore residents say trash is piling up as streets and alleys remain unplowed

Residents in Baltimore's Harwood neighborhoods say the trash is piling up with the snow as plow crews continue to clear streets and now alleys across the city.

Regular trash pick-up in their alley is suspended as cans remain trapped by snow and ice.

Neighbors in Harwood say they didn't have trash pick-up in their alley this week because it isn't passable, and they are asking the city for help.

"What about us? Why aren't we higher up on the list? Who is higher up on the list? Where are we on the list?" said Nia Crawford.

Community waits for snow clearing

After calling 311, neighbors were told a plow would come to clear out the alley, but they aren't sure when. This plowing effort began on Sunday and is now a 24-hour operation, according to the city's Department of Public Works.

"Technically, this is not the responsibility of the city. This is technically the responsibility of the homeowners," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said. "But now that we have more capacity, we're bringing more contractors to help folks out."

City DPW says alley clearing will align with regular trash collection, starting with Tuesday routes. Trash day in Harwood is Tuesday, but their alleys have not been cleared.  

"Why not clear our alleys so that our trash can be cleared, especially if you know we have a problem with the pile up because it's been called into 311, several times by several neighbors?" Crawford said.

City crews working to plow alleys

DPW says it is using private contractors, using bobcats and front-end loaders for alley clearing. The city says more than 300 alleys have been plowed so far. It may take two weeks to hit every alley.  

DPW stated, "This City-supported effort is being undertaken due to the severity and scale of the recent ice-snow storm and is intended to support the safety of DPW's sanitation crews and restore alley-based trash and recycling collections. The City has not previously conducted a citywide alley for snow and ice clearing operation, and this initiative should not be viewed as a permanent change to alley maintenance responsibilities. This temporary effort does not prevent or replace residential efforts to remove snow and ice from their alleys, particularly as temperatures warm and conditions improve."

"That's impossible for a lot of people here," Crawford replied. "They are elderly. Our alleys are not passable, and I don't think a lot of people even got the message to put the trash can at the street and the people that did, it was blocking parking spaces."

Crawford lives two blocks from Charles Village where she says alleyways are already clear. She says the piles in her alley keep getting bigger and even rats are becoming a problem.

"How hard do you have to complain? How far do you have to go to get action? We shouldn't even be on the news with this because it should've been resolved," Crawford said.

If your trash pickup was missed this week, the city says to call 311 and crews will try to clear it as conditions allow.