DC Government

Photo by PoPville flickr user Blinkofanaye

From DDOT:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) released its Parking Action Agenda for 2013 to restructure and better focus parking management in the District.

In the past decade, the District of Columbia has witnessed substantial growth in population and visitors, enhanced economic activity, and an increasing density of the urban environment. Changing transportation and land use patterns have led DDOT to revisit the issue of parking and its role in the overall transportation network.

This agenda creates a roadmap for DDOT to best assess the state of parking in the District, investigate innovative curbside management strategies, evaluate the benefits and impact of these tools and approaches upon the District, and outlines an implementation plan to holistically restructure the District’s parking system. DDOT anticipates that a comprehensive approach to some of the most challenging policy issues will be presented in the summer.

The agenda was compiled based on the public input DDOT received from the various community conversations (Parking Think Tanks) that were held this past fall to gauge the state of parking in the District of Columbia.

The 2013 Parking Action Agenda is comprised of the following seven key points:

· Evaluating and identifying ways to update the Residential Permit Parking (RPP) Program;
· Creating a new, more flexible Visitor Parking Pass (VPP) program;
· Enhancing parking opportunities for individuals with limited mobility;
· Improving access to, and turnover of, on street parking in congested areas;
· Improving communication with the public about parking challenges and opportunities;
· Increasing online parking services; and
· Clarifying agency responsibilities to enhance transparency.

The agenda also includes a summary of the feedback from the Parking Think Tanks that shaped the above mentioned key points and timelines for next steps.

To view the agenda please visit here.

Residential street sweeping starts today – from DPW:

The 2013 residential street sweeping season begins Friday, March 1, announced the DC Department of Public Works today. Signs are posted that identify the days of the week and hours of the day when parking restrictions will be enforced so the sweepers can clean the streets effectively. Parking enforcement of residential sweeping violations will begin Monday, March 11, to give motorists a few days to get used to the parking restrictions.

“The residential street sweeping program is among our most successful operations to keep DC streets clean,” said DPW Director William O. Howland Jr. “We have expanded it over the years to accommodate more and more residents willing to move their cars to allow the sweepers access to the curb lane where debris and pollutants collect. We also want to make sure commuters and visitors are aware that the parking restriction applies to all motorists and a $30 ticket can be issued for violating the restriction.”

Mr. Howland noted that beginning in 2012, DPW established March 1 through October 31 as residential street sweeping season and this information appears on the signs posted where the program is in effect.

He cautioned motorists to avoid parking along sweeping routes before that day’s restriction ends. “A supervisor follows behind the sweeper and may require the block to be swept again, so no one should park until the end of the posted sweeping period,” he said.

Beginning March 11, parked cars also may be towed to allow the sweepers access to the curbside. Generally, parking is prohibited for two hours while sweeping is underway.

DPW street sweepers cover about 4,000 lane miles monthly, removing litter and pollutants by brushing them onto a conveyor system, which transports the material into a debris hopper. The sweeper also emits a fine spray of water to help control dust. In addition to sweeping residential streets during spring, summer and fall, DPW also sweeps commercial streets overnight year-round, and parking restrictions also apply.