ALTON - The Alton City Council voted unanimously to expand the list of protected brick streets and alleys in the city through an amendment to the City Code on May 24. Also approved were new requirements regarding brick street maintenance and repair.

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Among the newly protected streets is West 7th Street between Belle and State Streets. 7th Street is the “steepest brick street in the world” according to research presented by William Perkins at an Alton Historical Commission meeting earlier this spring, when expanding the protected brick street list was first discussed.

The expanded list does not include northern Adams Court, West 15th Street, or south of the 200 block of West 13th Street - however, if bricks are removed from those streets, this resolution states they “may not be discarded but may only be used to repair the brick streets” covered by this resolution. The city also cannot pave the brick sections of these streets until the bricks are removed and held by the City Street Maintenance Department for repairs.

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New guidelines are also in place for construction projects and future brick street maintenance/repair. Specifically, all new construction or any other projects requiring excavation or disturbance of the currently protected brick streets must first obtain a permit from the city and also restore any affected brick streets back to their original condition. Repairs may only be made with vitrified brick.

A complete list of brick streets in Alton is available on the Historical Commission webpage under “2023 Brick Street Material.” All of the streets listed under “Alton Brick Streets and Alleys not on Protected List” have since been added to that list by this resolution.

A full recording of the May 24 meeting is available at the top of this story or on the Riverbender.com Facebook page.

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