Council committee backs $3 million for alley mitigation and illegal-dumping cleanup program

The Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee approved a $3 million additional appropriation Monday to continue the city’s alley mitigation and illegal-dumping cleanup effort.

Abby Brands, director of the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS), said the alley mitigation program is a three-year, $5 million initiative. Phase 1 — managed by consultant American StructurePoint with concrete work performed by Calumet and cleanup by Allied Services — will be completed within days, Brands said. Phase 1 invoicing and some weather delays mean final payments are pending, but Brands said phase 1 work is essentially complete.

BNS requested funds for phase 2 (approximately $2.9 million), program management, additional illegal-dumping cleanup and brush/forestry work. Brands said crews encountered more tree and brush issues than expected and that the next phase will include core samples and stormwater assessments to avoid selecting alleys that would require expensive stormwater or brick reconstruction.

Brands described the program’s four pillars: program management, illegal-dumping cleanup, construction (concrete resurfacing), and brush clearing. She said the department is retaining contingency funds for targeted illegal-dumping responses so councilors or staff can request immediate cleanup when jurisdictional questions delay action.

Committee members praised the work and said the investment visibly improves neighborhoods. The appropriation (Proposal 169) passed by voice vote.