Public Notice: Trash Collection Delays and Weekend Traffic Advisories

Service Alert: Department of Public Works Maintenance

The Baltimore Department of Public Works (DPW) has issued a final reminder regarding the temporary service disruption alert active through Saturday, March 14, 2026. The city’s primary waste-to-energy facility, WIN Waste Baltimore (formerly BRESCO), is concluding a scheduled once-in-a-decade maintenance shutdown today. This infrastructure upgrade has required the total closure of the South Baltimore incinerator facility since mid-week, impacting waste disposal for the entire metropolitan area.

• Collection Delays: Residents may experience significant delays in both trash and recycling pickups as crews manage increased disposal traffic.
• Facility Impacts: All Bureau of Solid Waste disposal operations have been temporarily redirected to the Quarantine Road Landfill in Curtis Bay. This redirection has resulted in longer than usual wait times at the Northwest Transfer Station and various residential recycling centers.
• Roll-off Containers: There is currently limited availability of roll-off containers at community drop-off sites.

Normal service levels and facility operations are expected to resume on Monday, March 16. The DPW thanks residents for their patience during this critical maintenance window.

Traffic Advisory: Saint Patrick’s Day Festivities

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a comprehensive weekend traffic advisory in preparation for the 64th Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and the Shamrock 5K Race. While the main parade occurs on Sunday, March 15, parking restrictions and preliminary road closures in the downtown and Inner Harbor areas are active as of Saturday, March 14.

• Parking Restrictions: Special event parking restrictions are in effect along the parade route, including segments of North Charles Street and East Pratt Street.
• Shamrock 5K Preparations: Logistics for the 5K race, which precedes the parade, will result in intermittent lane closures and the deployment of traffic control officers throughout the weekend.

City Council and Public Service Updates

The Baltimore City Council continues to monitor several active legislative and public service matters. Following a Committee of the Whole hearing led by Council President Zeke Cohen on March 12, the city remains focused on addressing the surge in BGE utility bills. The hearing investigated BGE’s gas safety oversight and pipeline inspection procedures, which officials have labeled as contributing to "egregiously excessive" rate increases for residents.

In addition to utility concerns, the Council is moving forward with several local ordinances. These include modifications to parking permits for disabled individuals (File 25-0096) to remove obsolete language and simplify the renewal process. Furthermore, a zoning ordinance for 702 Mura Street (File 25-0056) remains under public notice, involving conditional use permits for parking facilities in the city’s eastern districts.

Health and Environmental Notice

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has confirmed that recreational water advisories for the Potomac River remain in effect for Montgomery County due to a previous sewage interceptor spill. However, health officials indicate that Baltimore city water supplies are not affected and remain safe for consumption. Local anglers are advised to continue following standard fish consumption guidelines as monitoring of the Chesapeake Bay watershed continues.