Alton Advances Plans For Planters Along Broadway

City of Alton - Committee of the Whole Meeting

ALTON – Plans to install planters along Broadway in Alton are moving forward as some call for the city to expand its beautification efforts to help businesses beyond downtown.

After much discussion, committee members unanimously approved a resolution to consider an ordinance authorizing the purchase of Earth Planter containers for Broadway Street in downtown Alton using Food and Beverage Tax funds.

According to the proposed ordinance, these planters are meant to promote beautification and economic vitality in downtown Alton and to enhance its appearance to residents and visitors as a key commercial corridor.

Alderwoman Patty Ford asked several questions, some of which are answered by the ordinance itself, including where the planters would be located and who would be responsible for watering them.

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25 planters would be placed along Broadway from Ridge Street to Market Street, according to the ordinance. The city’s Public Works Department would be tasked with watering them once or twice each month. The Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau and Pride Inc. would be responsible for the yearly purchase, installation, and seasonal replacement of planter materials as needed.

Treasurer Betsy Allen noted Grafton installed similar, “beautiful” planters in its own downtown business district, and said the use of Food and Beverage Tax funds would be appropriate to help beautify downtown Alton. Ford asked who maintains Grafton’s planters; Allen said the city and volunteers work together to maintain them.

Ford also asked what would be done about businesses with existing planters. Alderman Chris Bohn said they could work around them, noting every business owner he’s spoken with supports adding these planters. Alderwoman Stephanie Elliott said she’d like to see more planters installed across the city to help businesses outside the downtown district.

“Maybe we should have a ‘phase in’ for the rest of the City of Alton,” Elliott said. “If we’re going to do downtown … I think that every other area that has businesses, they would love this kind of planter or this kind of upgrade.”

Alderman John Meehan agreed, specifically naming Upper Alton, North Alton, and State Street as areas he’d like to see planters in the near future. Alderwoman Rosie Brown said she’s requested planters to be installed at the State House Circle and other businesses along Broadway.

Alderwoman Martha Pfister pointed out a $3,186 discrepancy between the amount of Food and Beverage Tax funds allocated in the ordinance the actual cost of the planters. The ordinance originally called for $15,000 to be spent before committee members approved amending the amount to the actual cost of $11,814.

With the committee’s approval, the item now goes to the Alton City Council for consideration this Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. A full recording of the April 20, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.

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