Honorable Charles Allen
Chair, Committee on Transportation & the Environment
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chair Allen:
Please accept these comments on behalf of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, the leading non-profit organization in the D.C. region advocating for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the DC region to grow and provide opportunities for all.
Achieving District goals: We ask the Committee to use the opportunity of confirmation of a new DDOT director to examine how the nominated director is pursuing and achieving District goals for:
- A safer transportation system.
- A healthier, and climate-friendly transportation system that prioritizes transit, walking and biking that achieves the MoveDC and Sustainable DC goal of a 75% non-auto mode share.
- A more sustainable and green city, including more vibrant, green, and walk/bike/transit accessible Downtown.
Transportation industry experience: Given that the nominee has less direct experience with transportation planning and policies, we ask the Committee to assess how the nominee will obtain this expertise, or structure senior DDOT leadership positions to ensure the breadth and depth of knowledge and experience to successfully carry out DDOT’s mission and goals. In addition, given the exodus over the past few years of highly qualified and motivated staff from DDOT, we ask that the Committee investigate how the DDOT director will better retain great staff, and attract new qualified and creative staff to implement the District’s priority programs.
Detailed comments on key city goals: We ask that the committee secure the commitment of a new director to continue to implement the priorities of our key transportation programs:
- Vision Zero – The District is seeing more deaths and serious injuries, especially for pedestrians and bicyclists, rather than making progress toward the goal of zero traffic deaths. We must ask DDOT to redouble efforts to put safety first – before other considerations like vehicle speed, traffic delay, and vehicle storage (aka parking).
- Bus Priority Program – This program is already yielding dividends in providing faster, more efficient bus service and safer roadways. We ask the Committee to ensure that the nominated Director will fully support the program and staff in prioritizing bus riders and improved service as a top priority for our roadway design and operations. Program implementation should prioritize buses on our roadways, and make the most of providing more frequent, reliable, faster and efficient for more travelers, increasing ridership. We also ask that the Committee restore planning for a center-running K Street transitway. The last designs were flawed and failed to incorporate vibrant placemaking. Done right, the next plan can ensure more efficient downtown-running bus service, investment in improved east-west protected bicycle lanes, pick up/drop off, and enhancement of Downtown public spaces as a place for people.
- Bike and Pedestrian Program – We ask the Committee to assess how the nominee will complete planned bike and pedestrian improvements and plan new improvements to achieve safety, access, and sustainability goals. We are dismayed by the nominee’s decision to eliminate protected bike lanes from Connecticut Avenue plans. Protected bike lanes are the most effective way to protect people biking, and increase trips people are willing to take by bicycle on arterials. Protected bikes lanes will make Connecticut Avenue much safer for all users and support local businesses. We urge the Committee to work with the DDOT nominee to reconsider and revise this decision.
- Downtown transportation and placemaking – Public space in the Downtown — its streets, sidewalks, alleys, parks — are critical to creating a downtown that is walkable and inviting, and fosters a place that people want to visit, work in, and live in. We ask the Committee to assess how the nominee will carry out the planning and retrofitting of downtown to focus on placemaking and a great place to walk and linger. Overemphasis on movement of single occupancy vehicles, and their storage, would turn back the clock on a more vibrant, efficient, sustainable and accessible downtown. Transit, walk, bike, micromobility access, along with a strong Metrorail system is the transportation foundation to a more successful downtown.
- Innovative parking and curbside management – DC has become a national leader in innovative parking and curbside management. We ask the Committee to assess how the nominee will advance this work and ensure that policies and practices continue to focus on more efficient use of curb space to achieve safety, sustainability, and economic development goals. Among others, DC’s innovations include the parking cashout law which allows employees to flex an employer-provided parking subsidy to better meet their needs, which also helps reduce traffic congestion and pollution.
At this crucial time, when the city is faltering in meeting its Vision Zero goals, when Downtown is in serious trouble, and when we face the need to fight climate change, DC is in need of visionary and progressive leadership from its DDOT director. We ask the Committee to ensure DDOT has this leadership and that the District emerges as an international leader in sustainable transportation.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Cort
Policy Director