Alleys are unique to City living. Alleys provide access to garages and off-street parking, a location for convenient garbage and recycling pickup, and a place for our children to play. They also provide cover for criminals.
Secure your back door, gate, and garage. Alleys provide access to not just your garage, but your backyard and home. Keep gates, garage doors and home entry points closed when not in use. Secure valuables in a locked garage or shed and lock the rear doors to your home, especially overnight.
Install lighting. Consider lighting your back yard, garage, back fence, and passages between your outbuildings. Lighting provides you with the ability to see what is happening around you while denying criminals the cover of dark. Light and motion detected lighting devices are efficient and economical. They also ensure that you’ll never be in the dark as you leave or return home.
Slow down. City ordinance directs that no person shall drive a motor vehicle more than 15 miles per hour on all public alleys. That limit sets the fastest one can drive their vehicle in optimal conditions. But, experience shows that our alleys are often full of children, bouncing balls, scooters, and bicycles. So, watch your speed to match the conditions, including day of week, time of day, and foot traffic. Pay special attention if you drive an electric vehicle; our children can’t hear you.
And, don’t use alleys as alternatives to streets. Sure, alleys often provide convenient shortcuts between points. Always use more heavily traveled streets and sidewalks, especially when you’re moving about at night or when alone. And, know that City ordinance also prohibits parking your vehicle in an alley for more than 15 minutes, except when loading or unloading materials. So, park your vehicles on the street and not in the alley behind your garage.
