Back alley potholes to be fixed as part of neighbourhood renewal

If driving down your back alley loosens the filings in your teeth, help could be on the way - but the solution might mean you have to shake some money out of your wallet.

About 60 per cent of of back alleys in Edmonton need to be replaced, and the work will cost about $120 million, according to transportation manager Gord Cebryk.

One option to fund the work is to create a new levy, which would result in a tax increase for all property owners.

The levy would be used to create a program to replace the alleys in order of priority. Coun. Andrew Knack said that would be the fastest way to fix the problem,

The back alleys are in too rough of shape not to develop that plan, Knack said.

Another option is to lump alleys into the Neighbourhood Renewal Program, which fixes streets and sidewalks. In that case, any additional money needed to repair alleys would come from the program budget, but the work might take longer to complete.

Coun. Bryan Anderson said he doesnt think either solution is fair. Neighbourhood renewal benefits everyone, while back alleys are only in some communities.

The benefit of having somebody elses alley paved is zero to me, Anderson said.

If funding is approved, the earliest the work would start would be 2019, which would give the city time to study underground utilities and consult the neighbourhoods.

Councillors will be presented with several funding options to debate in November.

Road maintenance director Bob Dunford said no matter how the program is funded, it would be more cost-effective than to continue to repave alleys one pothole at a time.

Potholes must be dealt with by end of construction season, says councillor

While the city works on its long-term plan to address back alleys, Knack wants existing potholes to be dealt with as soon as possible.

Potholes reported in back alleys are lowest on the priority list for repairs, and are not fixed until a crew happens to be in the area for other reasons.

Knack said hes heard from people who have reported the same pothole behind their house for three years.

Thats unacceptable, he said.

Knack said Edmontonians deserve to know the city's timeline on when back alley potholes will be fixed in their area.

If you were to call and notify our department that you had a pothole in your back alley, I would expect that by the end of the repair season, which is October, that it would be dealt with, he said.

Operators on the 311 line will soon be able to give callers a better idea of when potholes in their alleys will be fixed.

Better alleys will be needed

Coun. Scott McKeen said alleyways will become more important and will see more traffic as density increases in mature neighbourhoods.

You would see garden and garage suites, which may be accessed more from the alley, he said.

Right now, gravel alleys are standard in most Edmonton neighbourhoods. McKeen said that may have to change as the city moves toward its infill goals.

Communities have the option to pay to have their alleys paved, but Cebryk said that idea doesnt go over well in many neighbourhoods, and two-thirds of homeowners need to agree before the city can charge for the work.

Even when the city offered to pay for half of the paving, many communities turned them down.

McKeen said the city may have to develop a strategy for improving back alley standards in the future.