Where to Place Your Carts

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In June 2012, the Kirkland City Council passed an ordinance simplifying residential cart placement regulations. The regulations were implemented to make pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers safer, and improve neighborhood aesthetics.

Help keep your neighborhood safe for people walking, biking, and driving by placing your carts where they don't block the sidewalk, bike lane, or traffic flow.

Cart Placement Guidelines

  • Place carts out no earlier than 24 hours before your service day
  • Remove carts from public property no later than 24 hours after your service day
  • Place your carts with 2 feet of space between them for easy servicing
  • Place your carts in planter strips between the curb and sidewalk, if you have them
  • Where planter strips are not available, place carts so they don't block the sidewalk (or shoulder), bike lane, or traffic lane
    • Place carts on the edge of your driveway, where they are still accessible to Waste Management trucks but are not blocking the sidewalk
    • Place carts back from the fog line, not right next to it - leave enough room on shoulders for people biking and walking to get by without needing to enter the traffic lane
    • Leave enough room on sidewalks so people using wheelchairs and pushing strollers can get by without needing to enter the road or bike lane

Examples of Cart Placement

Do Place on Planting Strips

Three waste carts on the planting strip.
Carts are on the planter strip.

Don't Block Bike Lanes

Waste cart blocking bike lane.  
Cart is blocking the bicycle lane.
Instead, place carts on the planter strip.
 

Do Keep Sidewalks Clear

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Carts are not restricting pedestrians from using the sidewalk.

  

Don't Block Sidewalks

Waste cart blocking sidewalk.
Pedestrians have to go off the sidewalk and into the bicycle lane to get around.
Instead, place carts at the edge of the driveway.

Do Keep Sidewalks + Bike Lanes Clear

Properly placed waste carts.
Carts are not blocking the sidewalk, bicycle lane, and street.

Don't Block Shoulder Use

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Very busy street. Not enough room for pedestrians or bicyclists to get by.
Instead, place carts at the edge of the driveway.

Do Keep Sidewalks Clear

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Carts are on the driveway (private property), but still accessible to Waste Management trucks.

Don't Place Next to Fog line

Waste cart on fogline.
Carts are accessible to Waste Management trucks, but are next to the fog line.
Instead, pull carts back onto the grass, or place at the edge of the driveway.

For more information, please contact Jenna McInnis, Solid Waste Programs Lead, at 425-587-3814.

Report a cart issue

We encourage you to talk to your neighbor if you are having issues with cart placement or leaving carts out too long. If the problem continues after a friendly conversation, we can put a tag on their cart reminding them of the guidelines. 

Report a cart placement issue, such as carts blocking a bike lane

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