Public Infrastructure Notice Modernization Amendment Act of 2026

_____________________________ _____________________________ 1 Councilmember Christina Henderson Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 2 3 4 _____________________________ 5 Councilmember Anita Bonds 6 7 A BILL 8 9 ______________ 10 11 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 12 13 ___________________________ 14 15 To amend the District of Columbia Comprehensive Bicycle Transportation and Safety Act of 16 1984 to provide a process for community engagement and public comment on proposed 17 protected bike lane projects prior to beginning construction. 18 19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 20 act may be cited as the “Public Infrastructure Notice Modernization Amendment Act of 2026”. 21 Sec. 2. The District of Columbia Comprehensive Bicycle Transportation and Safety Act 22 of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-179; D.C. Official Code § 50-1601 et seq.), is 23 amended by adding a new section 4a to read as follows: 24 “Sec. 4a. Community engagement and public comment. 25 “(a)(1) At least 60 days before construction begins on a protected bicycle lane, cycle 26 track, transit lane, or multimodal priority street (“project”), the Department shall provide notice 27 that shall include: 28 “(A) A statement of intent to construct a new project, including the 29 proposed design; 30

“(B) A statement describing a 60-day period for public comment on the 31 proposed project, and how affected parties can comment and Advisory Neighborhood 32 Commissions can submit resolutions on the potential impact of the proposed project; 33 “(C) An expected construction schedule; and 34 “(D) Notice of the public hearing required by subsection (b)(3) of this 35 section. 36 “(2) The notice required by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be transmitted 37 via: 38 “(A) Electronic mail to the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions 39 (“ANCs”), all councilmembers, and impacted groups affected by the project; and 40 “(B) Certified mail or hand-delivery on the proposed route to impacted 41 neighbors. 42 “(3)(A) At least 30 days before construction begins on a project, and within the 43 60-day public comment period, the Department shall hold a public hearing at an accessible 44 evening or weekend time and in an accessible location in the vicinity of the proposed route. 45 “(B) At least 15 days before the public hearing, the Department shall 46 provide notice of this hearing by posting written notice in public buildings including libraries, 47 recreation centers, senior centers, and along the proposed route, and by placing a notice in the 48 District of Columbia Register. 49 “(b) A resolution of an affected ANC shall be given great weight, as described in section 50 13(d)(3)(A) of the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions Act of 1975, effective March 26, 1976 51 (D.C. Law 1-58; D.C. Official Code § 1-309.10(d)(3)(A)). 52
“(c) The Mayor shall maintain for public review all records, including the notice provided 53 to impacted neighbors and groups, notice of the public hearing, records from the public hearing, 54 comments from affected parties received pursuant to sub-paragraph (a)(1)(B) of this section and 55 responses thereto, and any other information about the project. 56 “(d) The Department shall make a determination of whether design changes are required 57 within 21 days of the closure of the public comment period and provide notice, which shall be 58 communicated in accordance with the requirements of subsection (a)(2) of this section. 59 “(e) If the Department determines that the design of the project should be changed 60 significantly after the public comment period, the Department shall initiate a second period of 61 public comment prior to beginning construction. 62 “(f) For the purposes of this section, the term: 63 “(1) “Department” means the District Department of Transportation. 64 “(2) “Impacted neighbors” means residents whose street address is either on the 65 street or on a street directly perpendicular to the street on which construction will take place. 66 “(3) “Impacted groups” means a school, place of worship, business, nonprofit 67 organization, or other group whose street address is either on the street or on a street directly 68 perpendicular to the street on which construction will take place. 69 “(4) “Changed significantly” means a material modification to the design of a 70 project that alters the project’s function, use, or impacts, and that was not subject to public 71 comment during the initial public comment period.”. 72 Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 73
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 74 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 75 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 76 Sec. 4. Effective date. 77 This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 78 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review 79 as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 80 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 81