This alley in west Albany just seemed to invite exploration.
Ever wonder why new residential developments almost never have alleys any more? It’s not an earth-shaking subject, but it occurred to me on a leisurely bike ride around Albany on Sunday.
A look at a map of Albany tax lots, available on the city’s website under “Planning and Building,” confirms the general impression. Lots in most residential areas built in the last couple of decades back up against each other, with no space in between for alleys.
Exceptions are found in the Benton Woods development in North Albany, where houses on some streets have garages accessed from alleys in the back. But these alleyways are paved. They are not the old kind covered with gravel and weeds.
You can find articles online that explain the disappearance of traditional alleys. But they also note that as part of the “new urbanism” in city planning, alleys have been making a comeback.
Oregon policy makers have been trying to encourage more housing units in the available space. Alleys might prove helpful toward that goal as they provide access to the backs of residential lots, not just for garages but potential dwellings above them.
My ride took me through one of the few Albany alleys. If you have an extra three minutes, take a look:
You can see some of the Benton Woods “alleys” on Google Street View. They’re 20 feet wide streets in all but name. Corvallis seems to have more like this.
Your alley looks about 12 feet wide in aerial photos. That, and the surface, should discourage unnecessary driving and help make new ADUs in the back livable. And you’ll hardly even see them from the street.
Three houses on the north side have garages in the back accessed from the street. Seems like a waste to have 60-foot-long driveways, and a pain to drive out of, but I still like that better than big attached garages up front (just a personal feeling).
Alleys are very useful, but they have a tendency to attract vandals and thieves, and that is why they are not as common as they used to be.
Security cameras or warning signs thereof or both. Three ways to attack an unproven(?) problem without hobbling the entire built environment as fear-mongers love to do, generally speaking.
Theres a newer development south of Walmart around Goldfish Farm Rd and Mackinaw Ave where they have alleys. I grew up on Maple St and I’m nostalgic for the old back alley.
Now it’s a great idea to pack ourselves in like sardines? I seem to recall some studies where the resident rodents didn’t fare so well when overpopulated.
I think we don’t have enough laws and regulations…I believe if we can just get enough new laws and regulations … there’ll be no limit to how tightly we can cram pack in…
Lookin’ forward to it.
I loved our alley in our old SW neighborhood. I provided vehicle access to our backyard while providing space between houses behind us. There was room for raised beds that a neighbor graciously allowed us to use as a community garden, and blackberries in the summer.
This is a trend in Vancouver BC (Laneway homes) with very positive results, some of them are very modern and they are bringing some fresh air to home design in the PNW.
It is also a way to hide garages and parking space so the front facade of the street is a proper house with a door for people and not a massive garage with tiny house for humans attached.