A back lane, laneway, alley or back alley is a service or access road behind houses or, in a commercial district, which was created for deliveries and parking, amongst other things. In American "service alley rights-of-way are typically 16 feet–24 feet wide, measured from property line to property line". The name frequently survives as a street name in a much enlarged urban settlement, but it is common for the back lane to be reduced to a narrow pathway.