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What about my alley?

Photo provided by GoogleMaps

Do you have questions about who’s responsible for an alley? Perhaps you would like to know how to address a safety concern by repairing damages to the road. We want to help provide information on SDOT’s and the community’s roles. SDOT is responsible for maintaining the city’s public right of way, which includes those alleys that meet City of Seattle standards. That being said, alley maintenance funds are scarce, so repairs may only be made to address safety and mobility problems. Large repairs and improvements to alleys are the responsibilities of the property owners right next to the alley.

Those interested in making improvements to their alley will want to look at our website for more information. There are important considerations like drainage that may require consulting with the City before doing any work. Click here for more information on alley improvements.

If you want to report potholes on an alley that is public right of way you can let us know online here or by calling 206-684-ROAD (7623).