The Champaign City Council voted Tuesday to create a resolution approving the city’s Alley Master Plan, which would institute a structure to maintain the city’s alleys.

The master plan would change alley maintenance policies to improve the condition of alleys throughout the city.

There are 15.47 miles of alleys in Champaign, 1.72 of which are in need of repair and rehabilitation. Under current conditions, it would take 16.5 years just to complete the backlog of repairs, according to a report by City

Manager Steve Carter.

One solution suggested by the master plan is the use of oil and chip surfacing on alleys. Currently, alleys are either surfaced with concrete, which is expensive, or pavement millings, which float away in standing water.

Councilman Michael La Due said the city’s alley plan was vitally important.

“The type of material that we use on alleys affects the annual budget in huge ways,” La Due said. “Oil and chip is hugely less expensive, maintains the idea of an alley as opposed to a street, but still controls drainage and