Is the humble alley back? Once considered an essential feature of urban environments, alleys fell out of favor in the auto-dominated 20th century.
Traditional alleys took two forms- the service alley and the minor street. Alleys invaluably provided access for trash removal, coal deliveries, privy cleaning, and more. They also encouraged convenient walkable blocks connecting residential and commercial areas.
In the late 19th & early 20th century, many of Lexington’s alleys also provided housing. These vibrant alleys encouraged easy foot traffic and access to nearby workplaces. Alleys hummed with community gatherings and children’s play. Even prominent citizens called alleys home, including famed jockey Oliver Lewis who resided in Gill’s Alley (now Ballard Street). Three alleys in Lexington’s Western Suburb are featured in the African American Heritage Tour.
By 1924, a survey of housing in Lexington reveals residential alley life was in decline. Led by Dr. W.O. Bullock, the commission analyzed the feasibility of sewer and water services to areas not yet served. A handful of alleys were named as lacking both, some with as many as nine families sharing a single privy. As alleys began to fall out of favor, alleys were either incorporated into new, wider roads or absorbed by adjacent property owners.
Over thirty alleys still exist in downtown Lexington, measuring at least 9 miles in total. Most of these would classify as “minor streets”- through streets with just enough width for single car access.
Today, alleys are experiencing a new surge in popularity. Alleys allow easier access for emergency & city services, encourage density, and are pedestrian friendly. They also help create a more welcoming, attractive streetscape. Lexington’s Comprehensive Plan provides a guide for developers encouraging alleys:
“Developments should incorporate alleys in order to reduce pedestrian-vehicular conflicts, support walking, reduce the number of curb cuts, and reduce the aesthetic and traffic operational impacts of vehicular areas…”
The Placebuilder, Imagine Lexington, 2045, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
If everything old is new again, alleys are poised for a great comeback.
