For a sidewalk with heavy foot traffic, I’d usually recommend a 40–55 gallon urban trash can, with 50 gallons as the practical sweet spot. That size holds enough litter to get through a busy day without becoming a huge obstacle on the sidewalk, and it fits common liners and collection routines.
A 32–35 gallon can can work on narrow blocks or where service happens several times a day, but on a genuinely busy commercial sidewalk it often fills too fast and leads to overflow. A 55-gallon can is a good upgrade for lunch corridors, transit stops, and tourist areas. A 65-gallon model can make sense only if the sidewalk is wide, the bin is anchored out of the clear path, and collection is reliable. I’d avoid defaulting to 95-gallon carts on sidewalks—they hold a lot, but they block sightlines, crowd pedestrians, and often look too industrial for a walkable street.
The better question is capacity plus service frequency. A 50-gallon bin emptied daily usually handles heavy foot traffic better than a smaller bin that overflows between pickups. Also look at the opening and footprint: a 12–14 inch opening, a rain hood, and a base that leaves at least 36 inches clear for pedestrians, wheelchair users, and strollers matter as much as gallon size. Place bins near the curb edge, not in the middle of the walking path, and pair trash with recycling where possible. If I had to choose one default for a busy sidewalk, I’d go with a well-anchored 50-gallon trash can and a dependable daily emptying schedule.