St. Pete City Council unanimously approved $1.1 million to purchase four new sanitation trucks small enough to traverse narrow alley ways throughout the city.
The purchase is intended to make way for alleyway recycling in January.
The move comes after an ugly recycling rollout that led to several neighborhoods pleading with the city to accommodate homes where trash is collected from an alley rather than from the curb at the front of the home.
Such residences account for 40 percent of the city.
The universal curbside recycling program that launched this summer required participants to roll the large, 90-gallon bins to the front curbs. In homes with alley access, trash is typically collected in the alley and many of the homes do not have adequate places to store the bins where they could be easily moved to the front street.
After much consternation on the subject, Kriseman announced last month that the city would begin accommodating people who live in homes with alley access beginning in January.
The four trucks being purchased are much smaller than those purchased for curbside pickup. The larger trucks would not have been able to safely navigate all alleys.
The new trucks are also rear loading and do not have an automated arm that lifts the bins, eliminating any concerns about overgrowth in alleys. Instead, two city employees will staff the back of the trucks to dump the bins.
The change will not affect recycling schedules. There will also be no impact on people whose homes utilize curbside trash collection.
The vote was unanimous, with Steve Kornell being absent at the time of vote.
