Unfortunately, alleys and streets that are not constructed to City standards with curb and gutter are not eligible for our resurfacing program. The best we are able to do is fix potholes and keep unpaved sections graded and safe for use by the public and our solid waste staff. This is true for alleys throughout the older parts of the City.

The debris that washes out and gets kicked in to the street does have curb and gutter. Who is supposed to clean the street? I have been cleaning this debris that washes and collects at the bottom of the alley as well down the street for 15 years. Now that you have decided to scrape this is only going to make matters worse. There are numersous tangerine sized pavement pieces that will all wind up on the sidewalk and street in front of my house. If you won't come pave this section will you please have your street sweeper stop by weekly to clean this area? Is has become an eyesore and hazard to all the kids and walkers in the neighborhood.

I live on the other end of the alley and can concur that the alley way is in need of repair. I actually witnessed a girl on a bike get hit by a car on that corner. It may have been due to a traction issue with the pile of gravel that keeps piling up. Please fix.

I remember when this happened. It never occurred to me that this could have contributed to her accident. Luckily my neighbor, who is a surgeon, was out to treat the little girl until an ambulance arrived. I have tried to keep that corner clean because the kids like to skateboard and ripstick. This is only going to get worse now that there is even more loose debris and gravel than before. Please do something or agree to keep the street clean.

Our street crew tried to alleviate the pothole problem in this alley by putting down asphalt millings to fill holes. That is really the best answer to the pothole problem in this unpaved section, but the loose millings can wash out as you indicate. We have instructed our street crew to no longer put any millings in this alley. Until the City Council policy changes on paving alleys and streets not built to City standard, we cannot do much further on this issue. We do try to come through about every 3 months with a street sweeper, but as you can imagine, it would be incredibly expensive to remove gravel from every place in the City where it accumulates in the gutter of a street. At this time there are simply not enough resources to allow that level of maintenance here or anywhere in the City.

As an additional note should you wish to pursue this: The City Code provides for resurfacing non-standard streets either by a petition of the adjoining property owners or by a Council initiated project. In either case council approves the project following a public hearing and the adjoining property owners are assessed a portion of the costs based on rates contained in the code. The code provides no such relief in the case of alleys (alleys are not considered "streets" in the Code), but if the abutting property owners were willing to accept an assessment for pavement of the alley, it would be possible to petition the City Council directly to make an exception here.

I understand but am disappointed with your decision. Will you consider having the street people come and clean this area and sidewalk due to this recent run off? I have lived in this house for 15 years and have been cleaning this area exclusively. They will need a good push broom and shovel. The sweeper is not going to cut it. Thanks

Honestly, we'd love to be able to do this, but the City maintains over 1000 miles of streets, sidewalks, curbs and stormwater infrastructure on streets. It is really impossible for us to send a crew over to shovel up this gravel without pulling them from some much higher priority task. In recent years during the economic slowdown, in order not to raise taxes on citizens, the number of staff and amount of equipment has been reduced even as the City has grown, so we are struggling now to keep up with the demands of our ever-expanding infrastructure. I hope you understand.

The last time I cleaned this up ( a few weeks ago) I put on top of the yard debris in a trash can for Thursday pick up. Your city workers left me a note that said they did not pick up rocks and gravel. I'm very confused. You don't have the resources to clean your streets but if I do you won't even pick it up. How do you suggest I get rid of your rocks and gravel that constantly wash and collect at my curb?

It's OK to put it back in the alley, but the only things you can put in yard waste are biodegradable vegetative material such as leaves, sticks, grass clippings, etc.

It will eventually wind back up on my curb. Why would I want to clean this up twice if you aren't going to take responsibilty? I'll just throw in teh garbage and hopethey will pick it up.