By 2017, officials want D.C. to be a World Health Organization-defined “age-friendly” city for older adults. A report released by the Coalition for Smarter Growth today finds that, while the city has policies in place that work toward this goal, there are many improvements to pedestrian and transportation infrastructure needed.
Category: District of Columbia
DC can do more to help seniors age in place
DC is doing a lot to be a more age-friendly place, but there are still many ways the city could do more. In particular, local policymakers and planners can focus on three areas to help DC’s older adults get around more easily: pedestrian safety, public transit, and alternative transit options. All of these, along with better mobility management options, will make it possible for seniors to have better choices and feel more comfortable in their communities as they age.
Why Growing Older in DC Doesn’t Have to Mean Moving Out
Of course, there is no place like home. But when you’re an elderly resident of the District, sometimes it seems that there is no place to go without significant barriers. Senior citizens make up 11% of Washington DC’s population. And living in a city that requires mobility to take advantage of brings more challenges with advanced age. To keep the capital amenable to the elderly while on the go, it seems necessary to focus on three things: pedestrian safety, public transit, and alternative transit options.
Testimony: DC Zoning Update on alternative language September 2014
We support most of the proposed changes in the hearing notice for subtitle C, but specifically want to express opposition to the DC Office of Planning proposal to: “Remove the Priority Bus Corridor from the areas within which required parking may be reduced by up to 50% as a matter of right as originally advertised.” Instead, we support the alternative language: “In the Alternative: Retain the Priority Bus Corridor as an area within which required parking may be reduced by up to 50% as a matter of right, as originally setdown on September 9, 2013.”
Moving an Age-Friendly DC: Transportation for All Ages
Moving an Age-Friendly DC: Transportation for All Ages encourages local decision-makers and advocates to respond to the needs of an increasing population of older adults by focusing on age-friendly transportation options. Following national best practices in three areas – the pedestrian environment, fixed-route public transit, and alternative specialized transportation – CSG assessed the District’s progress towards becoming an age-friendly city.
CSG testimony to DC Zoning Commission on “alternative language”
around in our city’s long decline and current rapid growth, this zoning update is urgently needed. We wish to reiterate our overall support for the ZRR. In particular, we wish to address some of the proposed changes to the language set down last year on September 9, 2013 contained in the hearing notice for September 8-11, 2014 hearings.
In Our Backyard: Responding to the Affordable Housing Crisis
Low- and moderate-income people across the country are facing a rental affordability crisis. TalkPoverty’s backyard in Washington, D.C. is no exception.
Testimony on MoveDC & Confirmation of Matthew Brown, DDOT Director
We are pleased to contribute to the discussion about MoveDC. I have served as a member of the advisory group and participated in different public events related to the MoveDC’s significant public outreach effort. MoveDC is a major milestone for the city. It is built on an extensive and innovative approach to public engagement, and sets a bold vision for our city’s future. We commend DDOT for leading this deliberative process resulting in this far sighted plan. We urge the DC Council to embrace this plan for our future.
CSG Support for EYA Takoma Metro Station JD Proposal (Docket R14-01)
Please accept these comments on behalf of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington, D.C. region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Our mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish.
Testimony on DDOT regarding the Transportation Reorganization Act of 2014 (B20-759)
The Transportation Reorganization Act of 2014 (B20-759) proposes to radically reorganize DDOT by separating out and isolating transportation functions into a set of individual agencies. While the TRA is a provocative conversation starter on how to better integrate transportation functions, improve customer service, and increase capacity to focus on implementation, we worry that the cure is worse than the disease. The kind of segmentation proposed in the TRA creates silos that make coordinated, cost-effective and comprehensive solutions hard to deliver.