WATCH ABOVE: Edmonton’s back alleys are crumbling and if there’s one thing city council can agree on, without new funding these roads will only get worse. But who will pay for the work? Eric Szeto reports.
EDMONTON — It would take a 600-kilometre drive to Calgary and back to cover the distance of Edmonton’s crumbling back alleys.
The cost to fix the roads is estimated around $120 million. The director of Roadway Maintenance, Bob Dunford, says taxpayers want repairs.
“They don’t see that alley any different than their front street.”
Dunford says many of the back lanes are well past their 25-year life cycle, and an investment of $12 million over 10 years would bring the pothole-riddled roads up to snuff.
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Ward 9 Councillor Bryan Anderson says finding the money to pay for repairs will not be easy.
“To ask people who don’t have alleys to pay for the upgrade in other neighbourhoods is unfair.”
Anderson says he has personally checked out complaints about bad alleys and often tells people they likely won’t get help.
“The chances of you getting the city to come out and do something about it are slim to none.”
Councillor Andrew Knack calls the state of our alleys “very poor” and says residents need to know when they will be fixed.
“Let’s be clear, have clear expectations, have clear timelines.”
Knack says when he called 311 to report back alley potholes, he constantly had to call the city for an update.
“By the end of this repair season that pothole should be dealt with.”
The Transportation Committee has been directed to come up with a renewal plan and funding options for back alleys.
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