d.ish

In December, in response to a WABA blog posting Where Did All the Bike Lanes Go?, I told you we had 4 miles of planned bike lanes ready for installation as soon as the weather broke in early spring. Well, thanks to an unusually mild winter, I’m pleased to report we got a jump on spring and our crews have already installed 4 miles of new bike lanes and 1 miles of shared lane since New Year’s Day.

The new bike lanes are on 4th Street, SW; I Street, SW and SE; Columbia Road, NW, New York Avenue, NW; Tilden Street, NW; and Upshur Street, NW.

New Bike Lane on Columbia Road, NW

In addition there is a combination of new bike lanes and sharrows on R Street from Florida Avenue, NW to the Metropolitan Branch Trail in NE; and there are new sharrows on Oklahoma Avenue, SE.

New Sharrows on R Street, NW

That completes the lanes originally planned for 2011 – bringing the total in the city close to 55 miles – and allows us to focus now on adding more lanes. We hope to install another mile before Bike to Work Day on May 18, and we’re planning for an additional 4 to 5 miles of bike lanes and shared lanes for installation during the summer and fall.

That will include the eagerly awaited crosstown cycletrack on L Street, NW.We have been waiting on an analysis of the existing lanes on 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, before moving forward. I can tell you that study is drawing to a close and we are scheduling a public meeting on Thursday, May 3 to discuss the findings. The meeting will be held in the Community Center of the Reeves Center, from 6-9 pm. Look for additional details in the coming days.

Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support of cycling in the District. Mayor Gray and I look forward to Bike to Work Day to celebrate the continuing progress we’re all making together to make this an even more Bicycle Friendly City.

Terry Bellamy
DDOT Director

Below is Director Terry Bellamy’s prepared testimony for the DC Council’s Public Oversight Roundtable on the Red Top Meter Program, held on Thursday, March 29, 2012.

Good Afternoon Chairman Cheh, members of the Committee, and District residents.  My name is Terry Bellamy, and I am the Director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT).  It is a pleasure to appear before the committee to provide testimony on behalf of Mayor Vincent C. Gray regarding the Red Top Meter Program.

I want to thank you for the opportunity to provide more information about this program and its origins, which date back more than a decade.

History

It is important to know the history of this issue to understand why the Red Top Meter program was implemented.

The first attempt to tackle this issue was in 2001. The DC Council enacted DC Law 13-279 which was intended to curb the fraudulent use of disability plates and placards by non-disabled drivers and to ensure that residential and short-term metered spaces were not inappropriately utilized for all-day parking.

That law however, was challenged in 2004 by a lawsuit alleging discrimination against persons with disabilities.

In 2006 the District enacted the Parking Amendment Act which provided for the establishment of reasonable payment and time limitations for persons with disability license plates and placards. It also called for a study concerning the number, placement and accessibility of metered spaces reserved for persons with disabilities.

In subsequent years, the District took multiple steps to settle the lawsuit mentioned above, including:

• Providing 2 accessible on-street meters per block face – these are the meters with blue domes you see today
• Replacing or retrofitting approximately 200 sidewalks, and
• Replacing or installing about 800 curb ramps.

At the same time, DDOT continued to develop a plan to implement the provisions of the 2006 Parking Amendment Act – looking at best practices in other jurisdictions, testing new technology, and identifying metered spaces that could be reserved for persons with disabilities. The result of this effort was the Red Top Meter program.

Red Top Meter Program

The Red Top Meter program sets out to accomplish multiple goals:

• To complete the implementation of the Parking Amendment Act
• To provide reserved ADA-accessible parking spaces for persons with disabilities, while preserving their ability to park in any legal space
• To increase turnover at all curbside spaces in the city which would benefit all drivers, including persons with disabilities, as well as local businesses, and
• Eliminate the prime incentive for fraud.

The lure of free parking has proven to be an enticement too many people who are not disabled cannot resist, and it has led to the excessive misuse of disability placards and plates. In addition, not only are people abusing this benefit intended for persons with disabilities, but often they are parking all day.  A curbside occupancy study conducted by the Downtown BID in 2009 showed that over 40% of the vehicles with ADA placards parked on two prime downtown corridors, stayed for longer than 4 hours, the maximum time allowed.

It is a problem documented here in the District and in cities across the country. Donald Shoup, one of the foremost experts in parking policy, wrote last year that “treating disabled placards as free parking passes has encouraged widespread abuse” by non-disabled drivers “who simply want to park wherever they want, whenever they want, without paying anything.” We are one of the first to tackle it head on, but many others are watching what happens here in Washington as they try to develop their own plans.

We fully appreciate the legitimate challenges persons with disabilities face every day; they need meters that are accessible and close by; they sometimes need more time to complete a doctor’s visit or to patronize a store. The Red Top Meter program is designed to address those unique circumstances and to make it easier for persons with disabilities to access businesses and services.  At the same time, it drives home the point that the benefits of reserved metered parking and longer time limits are intended for persons with disabilities and only for persons with disabilities.

Public Input and Outreach

In preparation for the rollout of the Red Top Meter program, DDOT held informational meetings in September of 2011 with representatives from multiple District government agencies and independent organizations that represent or provide services to seniors and persons with disabilities. More outreach occurred at the start of this year to organizations that requested additional information.

On Monday, January 9 – almost 2 months before full enforcement was set to begin – DDOT publicly announced it planned to implement the Red Top Meter program.  There was also a one-month grace period in February before any tickets were written under the program. Two reminders were sent out on February 1 and February 27, we promoted it on our social media channels and there was extensive media coverage of the Red Top Meter program prior to March 1 when enforcement began.

Having said that, we acknowledge there is always room for more outreach, especially when you are implementing a significant change in policy, and in this case our outreach may have been too narrowly focused. We have developed a more robust outreach plan that will include print advertising, more collaboration with partner agencies and a direct mail campaign to reach every disability placard or plate holder in the District.

We have also moved quickly to make adjustments to the program and to implement constructive recommendations from the disabled community. For instance, we took immediate action to deploy 1,100 more Red Top Meters in response to concerns about the reach of the initial rollout.

In addition, even before the Council voted to suspend the implementation of the program, we had delayed enforcement until more Red Top meters were deployed and we had an opportunity to conduct additional outreach.

Looking Forward

In the coming weeks, we look forward to working closely with Council and the disabled community to further refine and improve the Red Top Meter program. We strongly believe it is good, sound policy that makes reasonable changes to provide more parking for persons with disabilities, and to reduce the fraud that robs the city of revenue–that we in turn use to maintain WMATA service–and available parking for motorists who follow the rules.

Anecdotally, we think the program was already making a difference. In the limited time the program was enforced earlier this month, on street meters spaces freed up on blocks that – before the program was implemented – were parked at or near full occupancy by out of District vehicles displaying disability placards or plates and parking all day for free. Without the benefit of free parking, we think non-disabled commuters using disability placards and plates found it was more cost effective to park in a garage or to take public transit.

As we move forward with implementation, we will continue to monitor the occupancy and availability of red top meters and identify areas where more capacity may be needed to ensure both availability and turnover of all metered spaces.

We hope we can address any concerns to your satisfaction here today and agree on a course of action to complete the implementation of the Red Top Meter program. If not, a return to the status quo is likely, and the work begun more than a decade ago to address this important issue will remain unfinished.

This weekend a new carsharing service will begin operating in the District, providing residents and visitors with yet another option for moving about the city.

That’s what we’re all about at DDOT:  providing mobility choices that support a safe and efficient transportation network. Carsharing, is a complement to the District’s investment in transit, bikesharing and other modes of travel, and enables residents and visitors to own fewer cars, thus realizing environmental and economic benefits.

Carsharing also provides convenient access to vehicles when they’re needed, without the costs of ownership and maintenance. As DDOT has supported carsharing over the years, we have also come to realize that people need to use cars for different reasons: sometimes they need a pickup truck for a trip to the hardware store, while other times they need one for a longer trip out of town for the weekend. Others might need a car for a quick errand or to visit a family member in the hospital. Whatever the need, we continue to work to find new ways to support carsharing as part of the broader transportation system, and to build on the success it has already enjoyed in the nation’s capital.

District’s Initial Foray into Carsharing

In October 2005, DDOT implemented a reserved curbside carsharing program to provide high-visibility access to carsharing vehicles in the District of Columbia. The program specifically reserved 86 public parking spaces for carsharing purposes, providing the carsharing companies (Zipcar and Flexcar at the time) with space and visibility to market this then-fledgling service.

Curbside Carsharing Space on 14th Street NW

The original spaces were located in all 8 Wards and each quadrant of the city. DDOT’s overarching goal in implementing the program was to provide District residents with an alternative transportation option, reduce vehicle ownership and relieve traffic congestion.

Since 2005, Zipcar’s membership has grown considerably, as has their presence both in public space and in private leased space. A 2011 Washington Post survey found that 33 percent people who had lived in the District for less than ten years were Zipcar users.

The use of curbside space for car sharing purposes has been replicated by a number of American cities, as the promise of reduced vehicle ownership and reduced vehicle trips has been realized.

District Responds to Market Changes in Carsharing Industry

In October 2011, in response to the dynamic changes in the carsharing market and the introduction of multiple carsharing providers, the District put out for bid the now-84 reserved carsharing spaces in its inventory.

As a result, in February 2012, Hertz on Demand began to operate out of 23 of the reserved curbside spaces, providing District residents with an alternative carsharing provider to Zipcar. Hertz continues to expand its fleet in the Washington region, as it looks to become a mainstay in the car sharing industry.

Point-to-Point Car Sharing Coming to the District

In late 2011, DDOT published proposed and final regulations allowing for the operation of a point-to-point carsharing program in the District. Unlike the traditional model of carsharing, the program allows members – who may be District residents or visitors – to pick up vehicles in one location and drop them off in a different location. The program is similar to models currently operating in Austin, Texas, Vancouver, San Diego, and Amsterdam.

Car2go will be the 1^st point-to-point provider to operate in the District, launching on March 24, 2012. All of the vehicles in the fleet are blue-and-white Smart Fortwo vehicles. Unlike traditional carsharing models, reservations are not required to rent a car and members are charged by the minute.

In remaining true to DDOT’s original goals of reducing vehicle ownership, the program will hopefully entice residents to forgo purchasing a new car or sell an existing one. In issuing the permits for the program to begin operation, DDOT required coverage in all 8 Wards and imposed restrictions on how cars need to be rebalanced. During the initial year of the program, DDOT will also work to evaluate the benefits and impacts to the transportation system through data on usage provided by car2go and a survey of members to understand who is using the service.

The introduction of point-to-point car sharing will provide residents and visitors to our region with another robust transportation option that complements Metrobus, Metrorail, Capital Bikeshare, the Circulator and traditional carsharing service.

Continuing to Support Innovative Programs in the Future

DDOT’s history of supporting innovative programs that help provide transportation options and help residents and visitors feel mobile without needing to own a personal car will continue into the future. As an agency, we have attempted to foster new options, allowing new vendors and operators to enter an increasingly competitive environment to provide a range of services in the District, while making sure these options are available throughout the city. And we will continue to identify and support new types of operations that add to the quality of life in the District and help us meet all of our transportation needs.

Sam Zimbabwe
Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Sustainability

Josh Moskowitz
Carsharing Project Manager

Some interesting news reported last week caught our attention: even though DC has seen an influx of new residents over the past decade, many of the newcomers are choosing to live car free. Over that same time period, the number of car registrations has remained relatively flat.

Coupled with other statistics that show over 35% of the households in the District do not own an automobile, it’s clear many residents are choosing to use Metro, the DC Circulator, Capital Bikeshare, carsharing services and their own 2 feet to move about the city.

These car-free residents include many of DDOT’s own employees. They not only talk the talk, they walk the walk, putting the programs and services they work on into practice and helping shape the Sustainable DC called for by Mayor Gray. Here are a few of their stories. As you will read, they have found their transportation choices liberating rather than restrictive.

Brooke Fossey, Transportation Planner – Policy, Planning & Sustainability Administration

Brooke Fossey

When I got rid of my car in 2004, it was both an economic and quality of life decision—I had found it costly to maintain, I didn’t use it that much, and quite frankly when I did, driving stressed me out! Moving to DC made me realize for the first time how a great transportation network can take you anywhere you need to go without driving. Sometimes it takes a little more planning, but I have found that when you let someone else do the driving, life can be a lot more relaxing.

Seven years later, I still think being car-free enhances my quality of life. I have been able to be car-free by relying on Metrobus, Metrorail, Circulator, Capital Bikeshare, carsharing services like Zipcar, my own bike, and my own two feet. I used to walk or take transit everywhere, but Capital Bikeshare got me feeling comfortable on a bike again, so I bought a bike and now I ride to work on nice days and Metro in bad weather. I’ve found that biking is not only an incredibly efficient way to get from one place to another but I also have gotten healthier and more in-shape while doing it. I use Zipcar to get to my weekly cello lesson and for the occasional home improvement project run to the hardware store, though I’ve found that most things can even be carried home on a bike—even a 1-gallon tub of joint compound or a Christmas tree! I’m very thankful for all the transportation options we have in DC that allow me to pick what’s right for me.

 Eric Stults, Projects Officer – Office of the Director

Eric Stults

Although I know how to drive and I maintain a driver’s license, I’ve never owned a car in my life, and I love living a car-free lifestyle.  I’m in my 50s now, but for many years as a boy, I had a newspaper route, enabled by my Schwinn, in my small hometown in Ohio, and it not only earned me a bit of money, it provided my principal means of exercise.  Bicycling is still my single biggest source of exercise, and although I sometimes am disappointed by the behavior of motorists or fellow cyclists here in DC, in general my daily bicycle commutes and other bike jaunts put me in a good mood, enjoying the fresh air in all seasons.  I feel like a boy again on my paper route!  And it saves me so much money.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics and the American Automobile Association both estimate that Americans spend around $8,000 per year per auto, for buying or leasing the vehicle, fueling it, repairing it, parking it, maintaining and insuring it.  Those costs amount to about 17% of Americans’ after-tax income…a huge drain that is outpaced only by spending on housing.  I spend only a few hundred dollars a year on bicycle maintenance and accessories….and the thousands I save can be put toward retirement, charity, vacations or other purposes.  I’m also able to rent out the parking space at my condo for $200 per month to a car owner in my apartment building, so the net benefits are even greater!  From my paper route days and my years living in frigid Minneapolis, I am accustomed to biking in all seasons, but admittedly there are some really wet or windy days when I prefer to simply walk or take a bus or Metro in my travels around the District.

 Josh Moskowitz, Program Manager – Progressive Transportation Services Administration

Josh Moskowitz

To semi-quote a favorite author, “I had and have a city kid’s indifference to cars.” Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, I biked, bused, walked and took the subway everywhere. My high school subway commute to the Bronx was an hour and a half each way.  I’ve never had a license and the first time I drove a car was when I was 19. It’s hard for me envisioning ever living in a place where owning and driving a car is a necessity for functioning. Working on our Capital Bikeshare program has been a great fit, as I’ve been able to watch so many of our residents and visitors traverse our city on one our oldest transportation modes that epitomizes healthy and environmentally-friendly living.

 Kirk Benson, Contract Specialist – Contracting and Procurement

Kirk Benson

A couple of years ago I moved here from Chicago and left my car there, assuming I would eventually go back to get it. When I found my apartment, since I wasn’t familiar with the District, I purposely moved near a Metro station; because coming from a city with a robust transportation system I was used to utilizing public transportation. After using the system and realizing that everything I needed was near a Metro station or a Circulator I opted to leave my car in Chicago; and between the ease of access to the Metro and the relative ease of walking through the District it eliminates the stress of maintaining, fueling and parking a car, not to mention the costs associated with those things.

 Monica Hernandez, Communications Specialist – Office of the Director

Monica Hernandez

Two years ago I packed up my belongings, sold what had become my lifeline – my car – and moved to DC.  Since then I have been car-free and I absolutely love it.  I’m not only proud of the fact that I have decreased my carbon footprint but also very proud to work in an environment that’s responsible for creating the type of options that allow people to live a sustainable life.  On any single day I reach most of destinations by walking or taking the Metro, Circulator and/or Capital Bikeshare and on occasion use Zipcar.  Rain or shine I’ve made this lifestyle work for me and plan to stick to it.

This is really a follow-up to Monday’s post about the opening of the new inbound 11th Street Freeway Bridge. We haven’t heard any complaints about the new bridge (thankfully) but there does seem to be some traffic-stopping confusion (not literally) about new signs posted on the approach to the new bridge and on the span itself. In fact, some folks think we made a glaring – and very visible – mistake on the signage.

New Sign on New Inbound 11th Street Bridge

The signs say “Interstate 695 to Interstate 395 Capitol Hill.” Only problem is there is no I-695 in the District, right? Maybe – some speculate - the signs are referring to the Baltimore Beltway which is also I-695.

Opening of the Inbound Freeway Bridge

Well, actually, there is an I-695 in DC and there has been on for a long time. But while residents and commuters are intimately familiar with I-295 and I-395, you can’t blame them for not knowing where I-695 is located; as far as we can tell it was not previously signed although it was shown on some maps. I-695 has been the designation for a portion of the Southeast/Southwest Freeway, beginning where I-395 enters the Third Street Tunnel and extending to the northern side of the 11th Street Bridge, a grand total of 1.4 miles.

Map Showing New Limits of I-695

In conjunction with the construction of the new 11th Street Bridges, DDOT requested and received approval to extend I-695 across the Anacostia River where it now terminates at the interchange with I-295 and DC 295. I-695 is now a full 2 miles long with mile marker zero located at the junction with I-395. And I-695 is now signed. The map above shows the new limits of I-695 highlighted in green.

There is a method to our madness – we promise – but if you’re still confused maybe Mike DeBonis of the Post or WTOP’s Adam Tuss can provide more clarity.

If only they had signed I-695 way back when the SE/SW Freeway was completed.

Construction of SE/SW Freeway in 1972

Now, who knows where to find the Dwight D. Eisenhower Freeway? Is it signed?

John Lisle
Communications Director

This weekend DDOT crossed a major milestone on the largest construction project it has ever undertaken. Mayor Gray joined Director Bellamy, Chief Engineer Ronaldo ”Nick” Nicholson, Council Chairman Kwame Brown, Councilmember Mary Cheh and Federal Highway Division Administrator Christopher Lawson Friday for the ribbon cutting on the new inbound 11th Street Freeway Bridge. The community – which has been a great partner throughout the project – was also well represented at the event.

Ribbon Cutting for New Inbound Bridge

Following the ribbon cutting, crews completed last minute tasks and over the weekend shifted traffic to the new inbound bridge. The first vehicles to use the new crossing came across at 11:38 am on Sunday, December 18.

First Vehicles Cross the New Inbound Bridge

The inbound bridge is one of three new spans included in the $300 million project which began in December 2009. A new outbound bridge is also expected to open to traffic within days and a third bridge for local traffic is under construction and will open in 2012.

Mayor Gray noted the project is “ahead of schedule and represents a giant step forward for our transportation system. Critical for connecting one city across the Anacostia River, these new spans will serve our residents, workers and visitors for decades to come.”

Construction of Existing Bridges in July 1964

The three new bridges are replacing two 50-year-old spans that are considered functionally obsolete and structurally deficient. Also, they don’t always get you where you need to go. For instance, there is no direct connection from the old outbound 11th Street Bridge to northbound DC 295, or from southbound 295 to the inbound bridge.

The 11th Street Bridge Project will change that. New ramps will make those “missing connections” and create a seamless connection between the SE/SW Freeway and the Anacostia Freeway (I-295/DC 295). That will smooth the ride in and out of downtown for many commuters, but also will keep a lot of traffic out of the local neighborhoods.

11th Street Bridge is Now Designated as I-695

Residents will also greatly benefit from the completion of the “local” bridge. It really will function more as a neighborhood street that happens to cross the Anacostia River and will link Anacostia, Fairlawn and Congress Heights to the Navy Yard, Barracks Row and Capitol Hill. It will also include space for future transit and a 16 foot wide shared path for pedestrians and cyclists. Those multi-modal features will help draw people to the banks of the Anacostia, to explore neighborhoods on both sides of the river, and to enjoy the Riverwalk Trail, another major piece of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI).

Again, that “local” bridge and the new ramps are scheduled to be completed next year, but judging by the progress so far, the wait shouldn’t be too long. The project is several months ahead of schedule and DDOT has shaved time and money off the project by using a design-build-to-budget mechanism.

There are other reasons to celebrate the success of the project:

• Close to 400 men and women work on the job site daily, and at least 73 DC residents have been hired during the project.
• The design and construction of the new bridges have incorporated many environmentally friendly techniques, including limiting stormwater runoff and recycling debris from the old ramps and bridges for use as filler in the new structures.
• The new spans are being built between the two existing spans, which minimized the impact of the construction on traffic.
  

  New Bridges Sandwiched Between Existing Spans

Of course, no construction project is completely pain-free, and in the coming months DDOT will be asking residents and drivers for their patience as we continue to make progress on this critical project. The true value of that work will come into focus when we complete the remaining bridges and ramps, but from our vantage point, the 11th Street Bridges are already looking great.

John Lisle
Communications Director