The alley behind The Arab American News office

Never mess with writers, they say. Journalists and newspapers often act as deterrents to negligence by officials. Hence, we question the wisdom of the city of Dearborn’s display of utter incompetence in The Arab American News’ backyard.

The Department of Public Works has practically blocked the alleyway behind our office for no apparent reason, making life difficult for our staff and drivers who go through it daily.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that due to a construction fence next door to our offices, the alley is now the only means of access we have to our building’s parking spaces.

Alleys in Dearborn, especially in the east side of the city, have become an eyesore. They are riddled with deep, garbage-filled potholes. Their pavements are uneven. Parking around their exits is unregulated. They have not been maintained in years.

While city officials say there is a plan to get rid of all alleys and plant grass in their place, alleyways remain a mandatory medium for thousands of residents, including our staff, to reach their homes or workplaces.

“Unfortunately, because Michigan has an inadequate way of funding roads, the city is not able to address all of the repair and replacements of roads in Dearborn,” said Mary Laundroche, Dearborn’s director of Public Information, told The Arab American News last year.

It appears that Dearborn finally mustered some funds to address the alley behind our office. The problem is that the passage has been blocked since Monday, and as of Thursday afternoon, no work has been done.

Barriers that read “Dearborn DPW” on one side stand in the way of drivers, while Dearborn DPW is conspicuous by its absence. “Sign of progress,” the obstacles ironically proclaim on the other side. 

The obstacles hamper about 70 percent of the alley, as cars try to squeeze their way through, often jeopardizing their tires by driving over a cement parking block.

To make matters worse, a city garbage truck accidentally moved the block on Thursday, completely blocking the alley.

After repeated phone calls, the DPW adjusted the block back to its original position. The department sent a courteous inspector, who informed our staff that the city plans on performing sewage maintenance in the alley.

However, he couldn’t explain why the alley the barriers arrived days before the construction workers, who are yet to show up.