DDOT is responsible for maintaining everything that occupies the District’s public space:
- DDOT’s Urban Forestry Administration keeps the District's street tree canopy healthy, safe, and growing. Street trees require significant attention and upkeep to ensure they maximize their environmental, social, and economic value while minimizing risk to property and life.
- The District has more than 75,000 streetlights installed on streets, alleys and other public spaces.
- Mayor Muriel Bowser PaveDC initiative has committed to eliminating all poor quality roads, alleys, and sidewalks in the District by 2024. DDOT is responsible for the maintenance of approximately 364 miles of alleys, approximately 1,495, and over 1100 miles of roadway in the District. Each year during paving season, the DDOT team creates a paving plan based on road quality assessment and community requests allowing the department to address the streets that are in greatest need and highest priority to the community.
- DDOT issues public space permits, including temporary permits for mobile storage containers and moving trucks, occupancy permits for work zones, and permanent changes to public space such as new sidewalks and street trees.
- In addition to issuing the permits, the DDOT Public Inspection Team is also responsible for enforcing public space laws and regulations; inspects all work in public space done under a public space permit; and monitors the restoration of the right of way to ensure the work meets agency standards and the conditions of the public space permit.