We are saddened to report that dedicated civic leader Alberta L. Paul died this weekend following a medical procedure. After 19 years of service with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Ms Paul joined the city-wide DC Safe Streets Coalition to express her concern that the city’s massive bike lane infrastructure makes the streets more dangerous. A longtime leader in the Penn Branch community in Ward 7, she protested DDOTs road design that removes traffic lanes on major roads, which on Minnesota Ave. prevented firefighters from reaching a burning building.
As the city encourages biking with bike lanes and bike rebates, Ms Paul called on the city to regulate biking, the only mode of transit that is unregulated. She worked toward a world class public transit system, complaining that WMATA’s new Better Bus system was inadequate, particularly in Anacostia where it served to isolate residents from the rest of the city.
“Our Coalition is gratified that despite her frailty, Alberta joined our Saturday Zoom meetings, providing leadership and guidance. She introduced us to her new Ward 7 Councilmember, Wendel Felder,” said Nick DelleDonne, who chairs the DC Safe Streets Coalition.
A proud Washingtonian of five generations, Ms. Paul came by her activism through the example of her mother, the legendary Thelma Jones of Fairlawn. She served as president of the Penn Branch Community Association for a decade.
The DC Council recognized her distinguished service upon her retirement last year from DDOT, where she held several posts, most recently as a senior communications specialist, a post which took her across the city for community engagement of DDOT initiatives. See here: https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/56627/Introduction/CER25-0301-Introduction.pdf?Id=201916
DCSafeStreetsCoalition.org protests the removal of traffic lanes and the installation of protected bike lanes. It champions the regulation of biking and world class public transit.
Nick DelleDonne
703 929 6656
September 29, 2025