A total of 11 unimproved gravel alleys in Sturgeon Bay are candidates for improvement projects & it will cost about $49,000 to pave them. The Sturgeon Bay Board of Public Works is expected to be briefed on a plan to upgrade the alleys as part of a power point presentation during its meeting Tuesday evening. Typically, $28,000 is budgeted each year to maintain the current list of paved alleys, but nothing has been done to upgrade the unpaved alleys since 1975. The assessment indicates that close to 100 city residences would be affected if all of the unpaved alleys are improved. The upgrades could save some maintenance costs, provide an opportunity to fix drainage problems, prevent the alley from wandering onto private property over time, make plowing easier in some cases, provide an improved surface for motorists & pedestrians & cut down on dust & dirt. On the downside, the upgrades could lead to higher speeds in the alleys, greater costs in the future if replacement is needed, increased runoff due to the impervious surfaces & open up a number of liability issues.
