The Paper Alleys Planning Amendment Act of 2025 would require the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) to develop a comprehensive plan for improving all currently unimproved or partially paved “paper alleys” in the District. By March 15, 2026, DDOT would have to produce a publicly posted map showing the location and ownership of all known paper alleys, along with plans for inspecting them, estimating repair costs, and bringing them up to DDOT standards.
The bill also requires DDOT to outline how it will engage residents adjacent to paper alleys and the relevant Advisory Neighborhood Commissions to gather community input on alley improvements. In addition, DDOT must estimate the cost of fully repairing all paper alleys and the cost of repairing only those with sufficient community support, using metrics it develops. The bill directs DDOT to create a framework for prioritizing which alleys to improve first, with preference for low-income communities and high-usage alleys.
Impact
This bill does not itself appropriate funds for alley repairs, but it would amend existing District law governing assessment and permit work to impose new planning and reporting duties on DDOT. It would create a formal statutory requirement for the agency to inventory paper alleys, assess their condition, estimate costs, and develop a prioritization framework, which could shape future capital planning and budget decisions. The measure would affect DDOT, adjacent property owners, neighborhood residents, and Advisory Neighborhood Commissions by formalizing a process for community input and future alley improvement planning.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears practical and planning-oriented rather than controversial. The bill is framed as a data-gathering and prioritization measure intended to address a long-standing infrastructure issue in a structured way. Its emphasis on low-income communities and community-supported improvements suggests a policy goal of equitable and responsive infrastructure planning.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is how DDOT should prioritize limited resources: the bill contemplates both a full repair scenario and a more selective approach based on community support, which could raise questions about fairness, feasibility, and cost. Another likely issue is the requirement to prioritize low-income communities and high-usage alleys, which may be supported as an equity measure but could also prompt debate over how those categories are defined and weighted. Because the bill requires a cost estimate for repairing all paper alleys, fiscal concerns may also arise if the projected costs are substantial.