Today, the DC Council unanimously approved Councilmember Charles Allen’s (Ward 6) legislation to create three new plazas that will modernize and expand the way public spaces are used to support active communities, civic life, and small businesses.

The legislation, an omnibus bill, also makes numerous improvements to make holding block parties in the District easier, improves seniors ability to modify off-street parking spaces to make them more convenient for older residents, and also lays the groundwork for the District to create three new pedestrian plazas around the city where certain streets could be opened to pedestrians and closed to vehicle traffic  for at least 24 hours per week,  and perhaps permanently if the change proves successful and popular. 

“Some of the most memorable destinations around the world are plazas where people can gather easily and safely without car traffic competing for that space. We’ve lost some of that over time, and I want us to reclaim it. This bill will identify three areas where opening a street to people and closing a street to traffic will bring people together, allow businesses to open their doors and put out tables, and create space to enhance civic life,” said Councilmember Allen, the bill’s author and Chair of the Committee on Transportation and the Environment. “It’s a proven concept. Every weekend, there are streets closed to host farmer’s markets that draw tens of thousands of people. The Wharf, Union Market, Eastern Market and CityCenterDC – some of our most vibrant economic destinations – are all designed around creating walkable, pleasant experiences away from traffic. But that’s only the beginning. I want to see DC leading to create new plazas that can be the backdrop for urban vitality in the 21^st century.”

The PLAZA Act (Public Life and Activity Zones Amendment Act) would require DDOT to identify three stretches of road the District could open to pedestrians and close to traffic for a total of 24 hours over the course of a week. DDOT would then hold community meetings and solicit feedback. The first street would begin this modified closure after Oct. 1, 2026, with DDOT providing grants to assist in the implementation. The remaining two streets would be incorporated into DC’s long-term multimodal planning document, moveDC. If the change proves popular, the bill includes a way to permanently close the street. 

The bill – which includes provisions from several other bills introduced this Council Period – would also enable neighbors to more easily close their street to hold a block party, expand a program to make it easier for seniors to park their cars at their home, and ensure DDOT is more explicitly considering all roadway users in its design and planning work. More on those bills:

Block Parties, Expedited Block Parties, and Block Party Preauthorization

This bill streamlines the process for neighbors to get a permit to close their street for a few hours to hold a block party or other social gathering. It offers an alternative to collecting signatures from residents and businesses on their block by allowing applicants to instead secure the support of the street’s ANC representative. The bill also allows residents to request and get a pre-authorization from DDOT for future closures on that street, allowing residents to receive expedited approval for future block parties. This subtitle builds on the GO PLAY legislation Councilmember Allen introduced in 2018 for easier and safer closures during holidays like Halloween. 

Safe at Home Program Expansion 

This bill expands the District’s highly successful Safe at Home Program, created by Councilmember Allen in 2015, which covers the cost or heavily subsidizes in-home modifications to allow DC residents to age-in-place safely. This bill expands the program to include assisting with the cost of creating private, off-street parking on the property. The bill was originally introduced by Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (Ward 1).  

Establishing Multimodal Measures of Effectiveness 

Right now in law, DDOT’s top priority for evaluating how a street is performing is how well it serves cars, without giving equal consideration to how it serves people walking, biking, scooting, or taking the bus. This creates an incomplete picture of how a street is used. This bill will change how DDOT evaluates the benefits and impacts of the District’s transportation network planning to include the experience of all roadway users. For too long, transportation agencies have prioritized factors like automobile delay and traffic congestion to the detriment of pedestrians, transit users, and micromobility users. This bill was originally introduced by Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (Ward 1) and will help ensure all travelers – regardless of mode – are more thoughtfully considered in DDOT’s future work.  

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