ALTON – Alton officials have allocated over $640,000 in federal grant funding to resurface several streets across the city.
City Council members voted unanimously on July 8, 2026 to allocate $644,428 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the Fiscal Year 2026 budget for street resurfacing projects in each of the city’s seven wards. These include:
Ward 1: State Street from West 9th to Bluff Street
Ward 2: Big Arch Road from Alby to East Center Drive
Ward 3: Pearl Street from Central Avenue to Brown Street
Ward 4: Liberty Street from Quincy Street to Union Street
Ward 5: All of Pebble Creek Drive
Ward 6: All of Fernwood Avenue
Ward 7: All of Wickenhauser Avenue
Several streets around the Storyland Mobile Home Park in Ward 7 are also set for resurfacing, including the entirety of Tara Avenue, Tara Court, Thumper Court, Alice Lane, Happy Court, Rainbow Drive, Gretel Court, Hansel Court, and Droopy Drive.
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The twice-postponed resolution previously called for allocating the $644,428 in CDBG funds much differently. As introduced by Alderwoman Rosie Brown, the item originally proposed $300,000 for new sidewalks and restrooms at Hellrung Park, $144,428 for derelict structure demolition and tree removal, and $200,000 for rehab assistance for owner-occupied dwellings.
Alderwoman Patty Ford previously said she felt the CDBG funding could be better spent addressing other project needs throughout the city, and was the first to lay the item over on June 8, 2026.
Alderman Michael Velloff moved to postpone the item a second time on June 22 before heavily amending the item prior to Monday’s Committee of the Whole vote. Velloff’s amendment replaced the previously proposed budget allocation and dedicated the full amount towards the city-wide street resurfacing projects.
At this week’s City Council meeting, Brown acknowledged the importance of street resurfacing and other infrastructure projects, noting they are “badly needed” around the city. While adding restrooms to Hellrung Park remains a top priority for her and local families, Brown said she remains hopeful that “down the road, we’ll be able to tackle that problem as well.”
