OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER ANITA BONDS
CHAIRPERSON, COMMITTEE ON EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION AND LABOR
THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING
1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20004
February 25, 2025
Nyasha Smith, Secretary
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Secretary Smith,
Today, I am introducing the “Lighting Intentionally Guides and Halts Transgressions in DC
(LIGHT DC) Amendment Act of 2025”, along with Councilmembers Brooke Pinto, Janeese
Lewis George, Robert White, and Zachary Parker. Please find enclosed a signed copy of the
legislation amending Title 50 of the District of Columbia Official Code to require the Mayor to
install and maintain lighting on all designated pedestrian crosswalks and bicycle trails in parks
and forested areas.
This legislation addresses two needs for the District: 1) brighten our pedestrian crosswalks and
bicycle trails in parks and forested areas; and 2) improve public safety by illuminating dark
areas. According to VisionZero DC, between 2017 and 2021, 58 pedestrians have died on
District roadways, which represents 36% of all traffic fatalities. During that same period, 2,159
pedestrians were injured, which represents 16.9% of all injuries. On average, 46% of all
pedestrian crashes result in an injury each year.
1
Pedestrians in the D.C. area are now twice as
likely to lose their lives as they were a decade ago.
2
Although the District already provides various safety protections, such as crosswalks,
appropriate speed limits for drivers, signage, crosswalk signs, and encouraging individuals to
wear reflective clothing, it does not currently have the necessary tool of illuminating our many
residents who walk around the city to get to and from work, and other social activities. To ensure
that our communities are safe from preventable injuries and harm, pedestrians and bicyclists
traveling in those designated areas shall be illuminated and visible.
1
Vision Zero DC: Highway Safety Office https://visionzero.dc.gov/pages/pedestrian-safety.
2
Harden, J.D., Weiner, R. and Hilton, J. (no date) D.C., Va., Md. are getting more dangerous for pedestrians - the
Washington Post, Washington Post. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-
va/2025/02/23/pedestrian-deaths-dc-region/ (Accessed: 25 February 2025).
For example, by adding more lighting around our city and in forested areas, we are improving
both pedestrian and bicyclist safety and overall public safety by making our communities
brighter. In a recent study, New York added more lighting in nearly 80 public housing
developments and the results showed a significant correlation between crime at night and
outdoor lighting, in which the lighting reduced 39% of so-called “index crimes”—a subset of
crimes such as murder, robbery, and aggravated assault.
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Additionally, in the past, D.C. has installed high intensity street lighting that resulted in 54%
reduction of night crimes over two years.
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Because
we have seen this improvement in years past,
we should take immediate action to replicate what has been successful in the past and improve
the safety of District residents and visitors.
As many of us recognize that public safety, including traffic and pedestrian safety, are crucial to
the well-being and security of our society. As such, this legislation will provide a more
collective approach to address a basic need to illuminate our designated areas and the bigger
need for improved public safety.
Should you have any questions about this legislation, please contact Kevin Chavous at
kchavous@dccouncil.gov.
Thank you,
Anita Bonds
3
Buildings. (2018, March 13). Major study finds outdoor lighting cut crime by 39% (updated). Buildings.
https://www.buildings.com/architecture/article/55254349/major-study-finds-outdoor-lighting-cut-crime-by-39
4
U.S. Department of Justice (1974). Lighting Reinforces D.C. (District of Columbia) Crime Fight.
https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/lighting-reinforces-dc-district-columbia-crime-fight.
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_______________________________ ________________________________ 2
Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Anita Bonds 3
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_______________________________ ________________________________ 8
Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 9
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Councilmember Zachary Parker 15
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A BILL 22
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 25
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To amend Title 50 of the District of Columbia Official Code to require the Mayor to install and 28
maintain lighting on all designated pedestrian crosswalk and bicycle trails in parks and 29
forested areas. 30
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF TH E DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 32
act may be cited as the “Lighting Intentionally Guides and Halts Transgressions in DC (LIGHT 33
DC) Amendment Act of 2025”. 34
Sec. 2. The Department of Transportation Establishment Act of 2002, effective May 21, 35
2002 (D.C. Law 14-137; D.C. Official Code § 50-921.01 et seq.), is amended as follows: 36
(a) Section 5(a)(2) (D.C. Official Code § 50-921.04) is amended by adding a new 37
subparagraph (M-i) to read as follows: 38
“(M-i) Install and maintain high quality lighting in all designated pedestrian 39
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crosswalks and bicycle trails in parks and forested areas, which shall be illuminated from dusk to 40
dawn;” 41
(b) Section 9(c) (D.C. Official Code § 50-921.20(c)), is amended by striking the phrase 42
“transportation, including education” and inserting the phrase “transportation, including adding 43
lighting to all pedestrian crosswalks and bicycle trails in parks and forested areas, education” in 44
its place. 45
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 46
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 47
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 48
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 49
Sec. 4. Effective date. 50
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by 51
the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of Congressional 52
review as provided in section 602(c)(l) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved 53
December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code §1-206.02(c)(l)). 54
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