Pierce Street Alley to be redone this summer

Birmingham city commissioners passed a resolution to create a special assessment district for improvements to the Pierce Street Alley, which runs from Pierce to E. Merrill streets, at their meeting on Monday, March 25. City engineer Paul O'Meara said the “Pierce Street Alley is the one the staff nominated as most needed for repair.” It was decided to do the project this construction season as it is between the Old Woodward reconstruction project last year, and the proposed reconstruction of Maple Road, between Southfield Road and Woodward Avenue, in 2020. The city has an ongoing project of improving the alleys and passageways. O'Meara said the project would consist of construction of an 18-foot wide concrete pavement with exposed aggregate concrete accents, to be paid for through levies in a special assessment district against the public and private properties in the adjacent district. “Our experience with exposed aggregate and trash compactors is that it doesn't hold up and gets dirty,” commissioner Stuart Sherman pointed out. “Maybe we can design something a little better.” Commissioner Mark Nickita said he had similar concerns about the aggregate concrete. “I think there's too few of the enhancements there,” he said. Commissioners voted 5-0, with Andy Harris and Carroll DeWeese absent, to create the special assessment district. On Monday, April 8, a public hearing will be held by commissioners to confirm the assessment roll for the paving of the alley.