Indianapolis Finishes Resurfacing 15 Miles 9.15.10

145 Alleys Get Infrastructure Improvements
September 15, 2010
WRTV – 6

INDIANAPOLIS -- After years of neglect and thousands of complaints, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard announced Wednesday that the city had completed one of the largest alley resurfacing projects in its history.

About 145 alleys, about 15 miles worth, were tackled in the project, Ballard said, vastly improving the infrastructure in those areas.

"This is what people of Indianapolis want. They want their infrastructure repaired," Ballard said. "That's what we're doing."

The Department of Public Works completed the project in just five months, and the outcome is much appreciated for people who live near the alleys.

"(There were) pot holes, lots of trash, pot holes filled with a lot of things. So, if you drive through, it's dangerous," said Aster Bekele, executive director of the Felege Hiywot Center. "It was just not healthy at all. It was dirty."

Lauren Franklin, principal at Frances Parker Montessori, said the improvements are more than a cleaner environment for her students.

"It was a horrible alley, pot holes everywhere, large rocks," she said. "It was really difficult for our school buses to come down to load the students and take the students home. Now, it's excellent. My bus drivers love it, and the students like it, as well."

The alley repairs, which cost $2.3 million, were paid for from the city's solid waste budget, said Sarah Holsapple, DPW public information officer. The city said its new trash trucks had been having difficulty navigating alleys in disrepair.
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