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Residents push back after public‑works letter about converting select paved alleys to gravel
Summary
Public Works told homeowners in several neighborhoods that six severely deteriorated asphalt alleys were being considered for conversion to gravel to improve maintenance; councilors said the letter read as a directive, not a request for input, and asked staff to return with clearer options and cost implications.
City Public Works staff told the Eskanaba City Council on May 21 that letters were mailed to homeowners near six alleys identified as the worst in the city, proposing conversion from failing asphalt to gravel to improve maintainability and reduce ongoing costs.
Staff described the outreach as a "feeler" intended to elicit public feedback before final action, noting that gravel would be easier to maintain for garbage trucks and utilities and that full pavement or repaving would require homeowner petitions and significant cost. Several councilors and residents said the letter’s wording read like a directive that the alleys would be converted to gravel without council approval, and they expressed concern about process, reassessment, whether paved alleys would be restored after utility work, and the difference in long‑term costs between chip‑seal and full pavement.
Public Works said the letters were meant to start a public conversation and that any actual change would require council approval; staff agreed to follow up with homeowners and bring clearer options and cost estimates back to council. The council did not take immediate action but instructed staff to return with clarified language and fiscal impacts.
