Residents: City Alley Repair Creates Flooding
CHICAGO (CBS) – Some homeowners in the South Shore neighborhood wish the city hadn't bothered to replace their alley, saying it's in worse shape than it was before the repair.
Residents say they've been complaining about the problem for weeks, CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports.
Residents say crews from the Department of Transportation were out the first week of June to repave the alley because it was full of pot holes. But they're not convinced the end result is any better.
"The job is definitely uneven, I said there's a lot of defects, the drainage is so low there's no way the water going to be able to come down," William Harper said.
When it rains as it did last week, the alley is filled with standing water. Harper offers pictures as proof of how the water collects in the alley, long after the skies are clear.
"It's very aggravating. You have to smell the smell. You have to deal with the bugs. It's just disgusting to have to live like this," Harper says.
Other homeowners complain about the water seeping into their garages and cracks in the foundation. But the biggest complaint: no response from the city or Ald. Michele Harris.
Residents are really hoping the city will fix the alley before the winter. All that standing water will turn to ice. Then, it'll be more than an eyesore – it will be dangerous.
The city's Department of Transportation did not provide a response to CBS 2.
