By Chris Barker, Waste & Recycling Division Community Engagement Manager

When it comes to garbage carts in bike lanes, how you feel can be determined literally by where you’re coming from (or going to!).

If you bike commute or even just regularly go out for a quick spin before work in the heat of the summer, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered garbage carts right smack in the marked bike lane.

You hit the brakes and begin to mentally evaluate your options.

“Is there room to get around it to the right?” [checking for parked cars]

“What if I just slipped out into the road for just a second?” [casts a nervous glance over the left shoulder]

Or, on a bad day: “Nooooo! Why did I pick this route on trash day? Next week I’m taking the bus!

Now switch perspective to a driver, headed down a tight parkway like 200 South. A biker pops out of the bike lane ahead of you to swerve around a recycling cart. You hit your brakes and, depending on your mood, react in real-time:

“OMG, I almost hit him! Why don’t they look where they’re going?”

Or maybe it’s Monday or you haven’t had your coffee yet.

OK, one more perspective to go: the City garbage customer. You live on a busy street near the U – nearly every parking spot is taken each night. If you aren’t up at dawn grabbing a spot for your three carts after a car moves out for the day, you’re stuck trying to decide how to place your carts in a way that won’t block the bike lane in front of your house.

“I am going to have to choose the lesser of two evils here – maybe I’ll put the cart over here on the edge so bikes can get by….”

Or, “Dang it, I just got up too late I’m going to have to just put them in the bike lane. Hopefully drivers will slow down with the reduced space and let bikers get around.”

If you live in the city there’s a good chance you’ve come from one of these points of view (if not all of them!). After all, it’s getting warm out, May is National Bike month and, let’s face it, the weekly garbage pickup is an essential City service that never stops. And while there are a variety of state laws and City ordinances that regulate garbage, recycling, and compost cart placement in bike lanes (most instruct residents to not impede bike traffic), we get that there are street designs and parking practices that make it hard to present a one-size-fits-all solution.

So, as bike lanes get more use from e-bikes, bikes, and scooters alike, and parking spots get harder to find on top of delivery drivers stopping to drop off packages, we recommend taking a step back. If we all think about this from the different perspectives listed above, we can come together and get through trash days more safely. Here are some good tips on how to pull that off:

• If there’s room, put your cart in a parking spot and keep the bike lane clear. I know you may feel bad about taking a spot but remember, it’s only for a few hours.

• If you have to put carts partially in the bike lane, try to place them in a way that a bike can get safely around them. We know that’s not always possible, but think creatively!

• If your street is crowded and you have no choice but to put carts in the bike lane, try to remove them as soon as your garbage is serviced. Maybe that gives bikers an afternoon of not having to go around your cart – greater level of safety achieved!

• And finally, if you’re driving, and it’s clearly trash day, keep an eye out for our brothers, sisters, moms, and dads on bikes! They may have to move around a cart, so your anticipation and awareness of trash pickup schedules could help keep them safe.