Pedestrian passage

AN ACT Relating to continuous, safe, and accessible pedestrian 1
passage during certain construction projects; adding a new section to 2
chapter 35.68 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 35A.21 RCW; adding 3
a new section to chapter 36.01 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 47 4
RCW; and providing an effective date. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The definitions in this section apply 7
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires 8
otherwise.9
(1) "Detour" means directing pedestrians to the opposite side of 10
the street via marked crosswalks because a same side reroute is not 11
feasible. 12
(2) "Hospital" has the same meaning as in RCW 70.41.020.13
(3) "Hospital impact zone" means any public right-of-way within 14
300 feet from the border of the hospital property consistent with 15
hospital use. 16
(4) "Local government" means any Washington city, town, county, 17
special purpose district, authority, instrumentality, or other local 18
municipal or interlocal entity created pursuant to Washington law.19
S-4228.1
SENATE BILL 6311
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Liias, Lovelett, Hasegawa, Nobles, Saldaña, Shewmake, and
C. Wilson
Read first time 01/26/26. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
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(5) "Permittee" means a person who is authorized by a permit 1
issued consistent with this chapter to perform work within the zones 2
identified in section 2(1) of this act. 3
(6) "Permitting authority" means any state agency or local 4
government authorized to regulate access to public right-of-way.5
(7) "Public park impact zone" means any public right-of-way 6
within 300 feet from the border of the public park property 7
consistent with active park use. 8
(8) "Public right-of-way" means any sidewalk, walkway, curb ramp, 9
crosswalk, roadway shoulder, or other publicly accessible pedestrian 10
facility. 11
(9) "Reroute" means maintaining pedestrian flow on the same side 12
of the street by shifting the path using temporary facilities or 13
barriers. 14
(10) "Roadway work zone" has the same meaning as in RCW 15
46.63.210. 16
(11) "School speed zone" has the same meaning as described in RCW 17
46.61.440 (1) and (2). 18
(12) "School walk zone" has the same meaning as in RCW 46.63.210.19
(13) "Temporary pedestrian route" means a protected, accessible 20
pedestrian pathway designed to maintain safe passage around or 21
through a work zone. 22
(14) "Work zone" means an area of the public right-of-way 23
affected by construction, maintenance, repair, utility installation, 24
excavation, scaffolding, painting, or any similar activity requiring 25
a permit. 26
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) Any permittee performing work within 27
the following zones shall maintain continuous and accessible 28
pedestrian passage throughout the duration of the work:29
(a) Hospital impact zones; 30
(b) Public park impact zones; 31
(c) Roadway work zones; 32
(d) School speed zones; and 33
(e) School walk zones. 34
(2) Sidewalk closures are prohibited in the zones identified in 35
subsection (1) of this section unless the permittee demonstrates 36
that: 37
(a) No feasible same side temporary pedestrian route is possible; 38
and 39
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(b) No practical method exists to maintain safe passage using 1
temporary barriers, decking, scaffolding, or protective structures.2
(3) In order to meet the requirements under subsection (1) of 3
this section, a temporary pedestrian route on the same side of the 4
street must be provided unless it is demonstrated to be infeasible.5
(4) A detour to the opposite side of the street may be used only 6
when: 7
(a) A reroute under subsection (3) of this section is infeasible; 8
and 9
(b) The detour route provides accessible curb ramps and marked 10
crossings that meet the Americans with disabilities act design 11
standards. 12
(5) For construction in hospital impact zones, the permittee must 13
coordinate with the hospital to: 14
(a) Keep emergency department entrances unobstructed;15
(b) Ensure ambulance routes and drop-off zones remain accessible; 16
and 17
(c) Prevent construction activities from blocking or restricting 18
emergency staff circulation. 19
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) Temporary pedestrian routes must meet 20
the following standards:21
(a) Continuous smooth surface; 22
(b) Compliance with Americans with disabilities act standards for 23
curb ramp width, running slope, cross-slope, grade breaks, clear 24
area, landing, and side treatments; 25
(c) Compliance with Americans with disabilities act standards for 26
accessible signs in advance of decision points, surface, continuous 27
clear width, curb ramp or blended transition, and detectible edging 28
of channelizing devices; 29
(d) Physical protection from vehicle traffic using approved 30
barriers; and 31
(e) Adequate pedestrian scale lighting for nighttime or low-32
visibility conditions. 33
(2) Construction materials, debris, equipment, and vehicles must 34
not obstruct temporary pedestrian routes or hospital entrances.35
(3) The permittee shall maintain all temporary pedestrian 36
facilities in working condition at all times. 37
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NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) A permittee must submit to the 1
permitting authority a pedestrian access safety plan for any work 2
occurring within a zone described in section 2(1) of this act.3
(2) The pedestrian access safety plan must include:4
(a) Location maps showing reroutes, detours, barriers, and 5
signage; 6
(b) Accessibility analysis for persons with disabilities; and7
(c) A plan for maintaining unobstructed emergency access.8
(3) For projects in hospital impact zones, the pedestrian access 9
safety plan must include coordination procedures with hospital 10
transportation, security, and emergency departments if the work is 11
being permitted for a hospital impact zone. 12
(4) The permitting authority may require revisions to the 13
pedestrian access safety plan before issuing a permit.14
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) The permitting authority may inspect 15
any work zone to ensure compliance with this chapter.16
(2) If the permittee fails to comply: 17
(a) A stop work order may be issued; 18
(b) Civil penalties may be assessed; and 19
(c) Temporary pedestrian facility routes may be ordered corrected 20
or replaced. 21
(3) Repeated violations may result in permit revocation.22
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The department shall adopt rules to 23
implement this chapter, including design standards for pedestrian 24
reroutes and detours in zones described in section 2(1) of this act.25
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. This chapter applies to:26
(1) The department; 27
(2) All local governments; and 28
(3) All public or private entities performing work requiring 29
right-of-way permits within zones described in section 2 (1) of this 30
act. 31
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 35.68 32
RCW to read as follows: 33
A city or town must comply with the requirements of chapter 34
47.--- RCW (the new chapter created in section 11 of this act) when 35
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permitting any work occurring within a zone described in section 2 (1) 1
of this act. 2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. A new section is added to chapter 35A.21 3
RCW to read as follows: 4
A code city must comply with the requirements of chapter 47.--- 5
RCW (the new chapter created in section 11 of this act) when 6
permitting any work occurring within a zone described in section 2 (1) 7
of this act. 8
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. A new section is added to chapter 36.01 9
RCW to read as follows: 10
A county must comply with the requirements of chapter 47.--- RCW 11
(the new chapter created in section 11 of this act) when permitting 12
any work occurring within a zone described in section 2 (1) of this 13
act. 14
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. Sections 1 through 7 of this act 15
constitute a new chapter in Title 47 RCW.16
NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. This act takes effect January 1, 2027.17
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