The alley between Third and Fourth streets northwest in Rochester, just west of Sixth Avenue, is sorely neglected. There are not just potholes but lakes when it rains. Over the years I've contacted the city about throwing down some gravel and last year they did half of the alley but not the rest. Any assistance you can give me would be welcome. — Beverly Tietje
Mike Burns, assistant street maintenance manager for the city, checked that alley out last week and says it's due for a fix. It's now on the list and will likely get filled in and smoothed out within a few weeks.
Burns says a lot of the city's alleys get that way, in part because of garbage and recycling trucks. "Alleys aren't really constructed for heavy traffic, and the trucks just tear them up." Also, the surface material used in the city's alleys varies almost block by block, and the city has about 138 blocks to care for, he says.
Several alleys are on the to-do list now that spring is here. The job is complicated by the driveway or garage access in some alleys — "it's difficult to match the grades of everybody's garage or driveway. It's hard to please everyone, but we do our best," Burns says.
If you have a problem in your alley or street that needs addressing, call the city street maintenance department at 328-2450.
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Got a consumer complaint or problem with red tape? Send details to furst@postbulletin.com or Action Line, P.O. Box 6118, Rochester, MN 55901.
