Residents and property owners of German Alley and Cliff Street spoke during public comments at Monday’s city council meeting to express their wish for both streets to be designated one-way. Cliff St. would become one way down from Hillside to Mountain, and German Alley a one way up on Cliff to Spring St.
A written letter described problems with out-of-town traffic, including oversized vehicles and delivery trucks, coming down German Alley and nearly getting stuck at the tight intersection with Cliff.
Property owner Melissa Sunshine said that the maximum width of Cliff St. on the northern end was 11 feet and 4 inches, and 12 feet and 10 inches on the southern end. She said she had researched roadway dimensions, and 20 feet was the minimum for two-way traffic. She said Cliff fits the defintion of a one-way road. Tracy Melsheimer, property owner on Cliff as well, gave a similar report on measurements on German Alley.
It was also expressed by citizens of those streets that there was no room for pedestrians, and two vehicles meeting halfway on either street would cause one to have to flirt with steep ditches on the side of the road to allow passage.
Mayor Butch Berry said he would speak with department heads about resident suggestions and return to council at the next meeting with how to proceed.