Reedbird Upgrades Part of First-of-its-Kind Investment in Sanitation Facilities

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) will close the Residential Recycling Drop-off Center at the Reedbird Sanitation Facility starting Saturday, May 17, 2025, as the City of Baltimore prepares to start a multi-year modernization project at this location.

The closure signals the beginning of a transformative renovation project that will deliver a safer, more efficient worksite to better serve the sanitation workers who provide trash and recycling collection for the entire western portion of the city. The closure is expected to last 18 to 24 months, after which the Reedbird sanitation yard will reopen to the public with upgraded infrastructure and a new Residential Recycling Drop-off Center with a separate public entrance.

Meanwhile, residents are encouraged to use any of the City’s other Residential Recycling Drop-off Centers. For those in South Baltimore, the Sisson Street and Quarantine Road locations may be the most convenient alternatives.

To support the planned modernization work, daily trash and recycling operations based at the Reedbird yard will soon be relocated to DPW’s Neiman Avenue Facility. During this relocation, trash and recycling collection services will continue without interruption for residents in the Reedbird service area. However, this temporary site will not be open to the public.  

“This relocation is temporary—but the long-term impact will be transformational,” said DPW Director Khalil Zaied. “Thanks to the Scott Administration’s unprecedented investment in the City’s sanitation facilities, we are drastically improving working conditions for our solid waste crews and making our sanitation yards more accessible and user-friendly for residents. This is the modern infrastructure our workers deserve, and our communities rely on.”

DPW has met with impacted communities and local leaders to explain the relocation plan for trash and recycling operations, closure of the Residential Recycling Center, and share details about the improvements coming to Reedbird and other sanitation yards across the city.

A First-of-Its-Kind Citywide Investment in Sanitation Facilities

The Reedbird project is part of a multi-phase, citywide initiative to modernize three of DPW’s sanitation yards.  Backed by approximately $49 million in Baltimore City Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) funds and grants, the initiative will improve working conditions, enhance delivery service, and support safer, more sustainable operations.

The investment includes:

• $10 million for Reedbird Yard (Western Yard)
• $7.8 million for Kane Street Yard (Southeast Yard)
• $31.1 million for Bowley’s Lane Yard (Eastern Yard) (Includes funding for paving, the Eastside Transfer Station Project, and a new composting facility)

Upgrades across the three sites include renovated administrative and staff buildings, modernized recycling drop-off centers, ADA-compliant restrooms, EV charging stations, and improved traffic flow.

An additional $3.2 million has been dedicated to health and safety improvements across all three sanitation facilities.

“These aren’t just facility upgrades—this is a reinvestment in the people who keep our city clean and healthy,” said Director Zaied. “We’re building state-of-the-art facilities that reflect our respect for sanitation workers and our commitment to delivering quality services to Baltimore residents.”