A new village-wide program returning to Elmwood Park allows residents to initiate the improvement of their alleys.
The new alley repaving program, approved by the Elmwood Park Village Board May 18, offers residents the opportunity to get initiate the process of getting their alleys repaved — with the village and property owners equally sharing the final cost.
Elmwood Park Village President Angelo “Skip” Saviano said this program has been done before in the village. He said a lot of the alleys in the village need to be repaired and this is a way to make it happen.
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To get the process started, 75 percent of the property owners that border each side of the alley need to sign an alley paving petition, which can be picked up at Elmwood Park Village Hall.
Once that threshold is met, an engineer is brought in to determine cost estimates for the work.
A public hearing will be scheduled for those residents who express interest in getting their alley repaved. At that time, property owners will be informed of what needs to be done and the costs involved.
If the initial 75 percent or more of property owners are in favor of moving forward with the project, the village would establish the alley as a special service area. That designation would allow residents to pay their half of the cost to improve the alley as part of their property tax bill over a 10-year period.
Construction usually takes six to eight weeks and garbage would be picked up from the street while the alley is closed.
Saviano the replacement program helps alleviate a problem that would have taken the village a lot longer to correct on their own.
“A lot of them need improvement,” he said. “We can’t pay for all of the alleys. It’s something where we all have skin in the game.”
He said the program is also a way to initiate a positive partnership between the community and the village.
“I think it’s a very equitable program,” he said. “It has worked in other communities and I hope it will work here.”
Property owners interested in more information on the alley repaving program can call 708-452-7300.