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Senate committee approves bill to require DPW permits for public‑road excavation, seeks clearer public/private road definitions
Summary
The committee approved bill 36‑0110 to require Department of Public Works permits for excavation of public roadways and to allow DPW to establish a fee schedule; witnesses urged clearer legal definitions for public versus private roads and more enforcement resources for DPW.
The Senate Committee on Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure and Planning voted to forward bill 36‑0110 — an act amending Title 20, Virgin Islands Code, Part 1, Chapter 1 — to the Committee on Rules and Judiciary with a favorable recommendation after testimony from the Department of Public Works and the territory’s GIS division.
The bill, introduced by Senator Angel L. Bocas Jr., would require a Department of Public Works (DPW) permit before excavating a public roadway and authorize DPW to adopt a graded fee schedule to cover inspection, environmental review, traffic control, and restoration costs. Sponsors said collected fees would be deposited into district public road funds and used for road maintenance and repairs.
Why it matters: Witnesses said unregulated cuts to roads have left lasting damage to pavement and safety hazards. Commissioner Derek Gabriel told the committee DPW has run a permitting program since 2022 but lacks enforcement capacity and resources to inspect and compel restoration. “The department lacks the necessary resources to enforce compliance,”…
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