Yakima Completes Transitioning Garbage Collection to the Curb

This post is One Crackima's synopsis and response to an article published by the Yakima Herald-Republic on August 18, 2023. The article was originally titled "Yakima garbage collection completes transition to curbside," and was written by Joel Donofrio.

What the Yakima Herald's Garbage Article Said

Recently, Yakima transitioned from alleyway garbage pickup to curbside collection. The City Council even adjusted the municipal code to be more ADA friendly and accommodate people who might not be able to physically move their trash.

The ADA adjustment allows carry-out garbage can services to residents who need it. There was a complaint from a woman who was upset that city workers could now come onto her property to bring her garbage can to the curb.

According to Trace Bradburn, the Refuse Division Manager, the transition started in March and ended in June. It affected about 7,000 customers. He alleges there have been zero truck/driver incidents since June, whereas there had been 14 incidents in the first 5 months of 2023.

The Yakima Herald reported that there is still service for people who want alleyway pickup. However, service is limited to Thursdays with a smaller truck, and you must request it. If you meet ADA guidelines, alleyway service can be provided at no cost (if not, you're paying for it).

One of the primary reasons for this change was space. Apparently, most of our garbage trucks in use require 20 feet of space to move safely through, and 18 feet of overhead clearance. Many alleys don't meet these dimensions.

City Councilwoman Holley Cousens praised Bradburn for the transition, and his department for its customer flexibility.

A Secondary Topic | The Yakima School Board

The City Council is participating in a joint meeting with the Yakima School Board on August 28th. The topics being discussed by various councilmembers are as follows:

• Bob Harrison (City Manager) | Connecting the MLKJ Park Aquatic Center with Adams Elementary School. This would necessitate shutting down a portion of Race Street.
• Danny Herrera (District 2) | Asking for an update on "Handle with Care," a pilot program for students experiencing trauma in the home. Discussing access to fields and play areas adjacent to schools.
• Patricia Byers & Soneya Lund (Districts 3 & 5) | Addressing the lack of air conditioning on school buses.
• Matt Brown (District 6) | Looking at school district budget challenges.

Our Response to the Yakima Herald's Garbage Article

Transitioning Yakima to curbside pickup seems unnecessary. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

1. Garbage trucks likely haven't been fitting down alleys for quite some time. Given their dimensional needs, the City could have chosen to address this by: 1) updating the Refuse Division trucks to dimensions that better fit our alleys, OR 2) taking time to fix our alleyways, as many are unpaved, cause undue damage on our cars, and have sketchy wiring that could at least look better.
2. None of this appeared to address homelessness. Curbside pickup might actually make dumpster diving worse. There is one benefit to having an unpaved alley, and it's that people can't bring shopping carts down it to pillage your garbage cans like the repressed Vikings they aren't. Now, we are having to put our trash in easier-to-access, paved areas. This makes garbage an easier target for those living on the streets.
3. Of the 7,000 people the transition affected, many were downtown residents. Due to high crime rates in this area, many residents are suspicious of lingering strangers. While the Council's effort at ADA compliance is appreciated, they've now opened up a new avenue for City workers to come onto someone's property (which is not appreciated).
4. Parking is a difficulty downtown. What little parking exists, our City Council is now trying to charge us Seattle rates for. Curbside pickup takes away parking and only contributes to the problem.

As for the School District Matters...

These all seem like valid issues to address. Please remember to prioritize these issues accordingly, knowing that our City has poor infrastructure and is in a budget crisis so deep it's affecting first responders.

The original article can be found on the Yakima Herald-Republic's website here.
If they moved it, One Crackima's hard copy is here.