Washington, DC Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)

The District's public-space occupancy permit law, D.C. Code § 10-1141.03(f), requires the Mayor to make permittees who block a sidewalk, bicycle lane, or other pedestrian or bicycle path provide a safe accommodation for pedestrians and cyclists passing through the work zone. This covers contractors, utilities, and anyone else holding a permit to occupy public space or rights of way under § 10-1141.03(a)-(b) for conduits, scaffolding, construction staging, or similar uses. The companion rulemaking section, § 10-1141.04, directs the Mayor to treat a bicycle lane blockage the same as closing a traffic lane and to apply similar regulations to it (paragraph 6); to define "safe accommodation" in consultation with the Bicycle Advisory Council and the Pedestrian Advisory Council so the definition binds every permittee (paragraph 7); and to require a permittee to submit a traffic management plan addressing safe accommodation for pedestrians and bicyclists for the Mayor's approval before any permit issues (paragraph 8).

Permits themselves are discretionary: under § 10-1141.03(b)-(c) the Mayor can issue them regardless of property ownership, attach terms and conditions, and revoke a permit at any time, refunding any prepaid charge tied to the revoked portion. When a permit expires or is revoked, § 10-1141.03(e) lets the Mayor require the permittee, at its own expense, to remove any structure and restore the space, or the District will remove it and bill the permittee. A nonrefundable application fee and other permit charges are set under the § 10-1141.04(1)-(2) rulemaking, though the Mayor may waive or reduce permit fees under § 10-1141.03a for Business Improvement District or Community Improvement District projects that serve a public benefit at no cost to the District.