District of Columbia - Department of Transportation - Amendments

AMENDMENTS

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

NOTICE OF FINAL RULEMAKING

The Director of the District Department of Transportation, pursuant to the authority of Sections 3(b), 5(3)(D)(iii) and 6(c) of the Department of Transportation Establishment Act of 2002, effective May 21, 2002 (D.C. Law 14-137; D.C. Official Code SS 50-921.02(b), 50-921.04(3)(D)(iii) and 50-921. O5(C)); and Mayor's Order 2006-22 (February 27, 2006), hereby gives notice of the adoption of amendments to Chapter 12, "Bicycles, Motorized Bicycles, and Miscellaneous Vehicles," Chapter 24, "Stopping, Standing, Parking, and Other Non-Moving Violations," and Chapter 26, "Civil Fines for Moving and Non-Moving Infractions," of the Vehicles and Traffic Regulations (18 DCMR). The amendments update bicycle safety equipment guidelines in S1204; eliminate the approval and sale of bicycle safety equipment in S 1205; repeal the provision requiring an application for a bicycle rack permit be signed by the owner of the abutting property and filed with the Mayor in S 1208; clarify the legal locations to park a bicycle in S1209; and set forth a process for removing abandoned bicycles from the public space in S 1210. The amendment to Chapter 24 prohibits vehicles from stopping, standing or parking in a bicycle lane, and the amendments to Chapter 26 increase the civil fines for bicycle infractions that do not involve bicycle registration to twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was published in the D.C. Register on May 19, 2006, at 53 DCR 4166. No comments were received with regard to these rules and no changes have been made since publication as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. These final rules will be effective upon publication of this notice in the D.C. Register.

Title 18 DCMR, Chapter 12, BICYCLES, MOTORIZED BICYCLES, AND

MISCELLANEOUS VEHICLES, is amended to read as follows:

1. Subsections 1204.1 through 1204.4 are amended to read as follows:

   1204.1 Each bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which enables the operator to cause the braked wheels to skid on dry, level, clean pavement; provided, that a fixed gear bicycle is not required to have a separate brake, but an operator of a fixed gear bicycle shall be able to stop the bicycle using the pedals.

   1204.2 Each bicycle, when in use at night, shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a steady or flashing white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet (500 ft.) to the front and with a red reflector on the rear which shall be visible from all distances from fifty feet (50 ft.) to three hundred feet (300 ft.) to the rear when directly in front of upper beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle.

   1204.3 A lamp emitting a steady or flashing red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet (500 ft.) to the rear may be used in lieu of the red reflector.

   1204.4 In place of the requirements of S 1204.2, a lamp may be worn on the body of an operator; provided, that it may be readily seen from the distances set forth in that subsection.

2. Section 1205, APPROVAL AND SALE OF BICYCLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT, is deleted in its entirety.

3. Subsection 1208.2 is repealed.

4. Subsection 1209.6 is amended to read as follows: 1209.6 Except as provided in this chapter, no person shall park a bicycle:

   1. Upon a highway other than the roadway against the curb; or

   2. Upon a sidewalk; except in a rack to support the bicycle, against a building, or at the curb in such a manner as to afford the least obstruction to pedestrian traffic.

5. Section 1210 is amended to read as follows:

   1210 - REMOVAL OF BICYCLES FROM PUBLIC SPACE

   1210.1 Any bicycle left unused in public space for more than thirty (30) days shall be considered abandoned. The Director may remove an abandoned bicycle after placing notice on the bicycle for a period of at least ten (10) days. The Director shall attempt to identify and contact the owner of a registered bicycle prior to removing it from public space.

   1210.2 Bicycles removed from public space that are in working order may be auctioned off to the highest bidder or given free-of-charge to minors as part of a bicycle recreation, safety, or responsibility program. Bicycles that are not in working order may be disposed of as solid waste.

6. Subsections 1210.3 and 1210.4 are repealed.

Title 18 DCMR, Chapter 24: Section 2405, STOPPING, STANDING, OR PARKING

PROHIBITED: NO SIGN REQUIRED, is amended to read as follows:

1. Subsection 2405.1 is amended to read as follows:

   2405.1 No person shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle in any of the following places, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, in compliance with law, or at the direction of a police officer or traffic control device:

   1. Within an intersection;

   2. On a crosswalk;

   3. Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing or parking would obstruct traffic;

   4. Upon any bridge, viaduct, or other elevated structure, freeway, highway tunnel, or ramps leading to and from such structures, or within a highway tunnel;

   5. On any median, channelizing island, or safety zone, whether made of concrete, grass, or other material and with curbs or otherwise delineated by solid yellow or white lines;

   6. In any driveway, alley entrance, or other way when stopping, standing or parking would obstruct the flow of pedestrian or other lawful traffic upon any sidewalk; and

   7. In a bicycle lane.

Title 18 DCMR, Chapter 26, Section 2602, BICYCLE INFRACTIONS, is amended to read as follows:

2602.1 The following civil infractions and their respective fines set forth in this section refer to bicycles and the operation of bicycles. The fine for any bicycle violation not listed in this section is twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

Bicycle Parking Guidelines

Bicycle Parking Regulations

Bicycle parking is required in all buildings with car parking. For advice and assistance on installing bike parking in your building, call the DDOT Bicycle Program at (202) 671-2331.

The following rules come from the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations

Title 18

Chapter 21

2119 BICYCLE PARKING SPACES

2119.1 Bicycle parking spaces shall be provided for office, retail and service uses, except for retail and service uses in the C-3-C¹, C-4², and C-5³ (PAD) districts.

2119.2 The number of bicycle parking spaces provided shall be at least equal to five percent (5%) of the number of automobile parking spaces required under S2101.1.

2119.3 Bicycle facilities shall have convenient access from the building or structure and street or other bicycle right-of-way, be clean, secure and well lit and shall be located within a building or structure, either on the ground floor, basement, or first cellar level.

2119.4 All bicycle parking spaces required under S2119.1 shall be a minimum of two feet (2') in width and six feet (6') in length.

2119.5 An aisle five feet (5') in width shall be provided between rows of bicycle parking spaces and the perimeter of the area devoted to bicycle parking.

2119.6 If a room or common locker not divided into individual spaces is used to meet these requirements, twelve square feet of floor area shall be considered the equivalent of one (1) bicycle parking space. Where manufactured metal lockers or racks are provided, each locker or stall devoted to bicycle parking shall be counted as one bicycle parking space.

2119.7 For office uses in the C-4 and C-5 (PAD) districts, bicycle parking spaces shall be provided as if the building or structure were located in a C-3-C district.

2119.8 Signs shall be posted stating where bicycle parking spaces are located in each building or structure where bicycle parking spaces are required. The signs shall be located in a prominent place at each entrance to the building or structure. The sign shall have a white background, with black lettering which is no more than two inches (2") in height.

2119.9 For a building or structure existing on March 1, 1985, one percent (1%) of the amount of required parking spaces may be converted to bicycle parking spaces of appropriate size.

¹Medium Density Office, Retail, and Housing ²Central Business District ³Penn Avenue District

http://ddot.dc.gov/node/474582

2405.2 No person shall stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, in any of the following places (including for the purpose of loading or unloading materials), except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or at the direction of a police officer, traffic control sign, or signal; Provided, that a vehicle may stop momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger or passengers:

(j) Except where otherwise provided under law or regulation, on a sidewalk space; provided, that bicycles may be parked on a sidewalk in a manner which does not obstruct pedestrian traffic;

Here's a DDOT site with lots of good links:

http://ddot.dc.gov/bikesandpeds

"Common Enforcement Errors Involving Bicycles"