July 2, 2026

The Honorable Charles Allen

Chair, Committee on Transportation and the Environment, Council of the District of Columbia

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,Washington, DC 20004

Re: Support for the B26-0684 – Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026 

Chair Allen and Committee Members:

Our organization advocates for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the Washington, DC region to grow and provide opportunities for all. We have been working in the District of Columbia for 29 years. 

The Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) supports Chair Allen’s bill, B26-0684, in particular its important provisions for: 

• Reporting operations and safety data, including VMT and zero-passenger miles
• Vehicle miles traveled tax
• Supporting public transit 
• Serving all wards
• User interface for individuals with disabilities

CSG believes that autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to improve roadway safety and provide an additional transportation option to persons without a car or unable to drive (especially in areas with limited transit options), and that AVs also have the potential to degrade our cities and towns by adding more traffic, car dependency, and control of public streets and curbspace by unaccountable private companies. Council Member Allen’s bill seeks to address these issues.

The District of Columbia must manage AVs to support adopted District policy that prioritizes people over vehicles. 

Specifically, DC’s transportation plan, MoveDC, has these policies: 

• Policy H: Design and manage public space and the space along the roadway to be people-focused, promoting livability and public health by improving accessibility, sustainability, safety, and placemaking.
• Policy I: Permit and program social, cultural, commercial, and flexible use of public space to improve the quality of life for current and future residents.
• Policy Q: Promote partnerships and programs such as travel demand management to achieve 75% non-auto mode commute trips by 2032.
• Policy R: Adapt policies to ensure equitable service, privacy protections, and data driven decision making as technology and new transportation services arise.

Multiple studies have concluded that unregulated AVs would have major impacts on traffic volumes. 

A recent academic synthesis of 26 studies found that shared AV adoption would increase total city traffic volumes by 5.3%, measured in vehicle miles traveled (VMT). This increase is enough to jam up key intersections and busy urban corridors. A 2020 DC scenario study of AV proliferation in the District of Columbia, likewise found that VMT and congestion would rise significantly without strong policy measures like congestion pricing.

AV legislation must discourage excess traffic, support transit, help travelers with disabilities, and ensure accountability and transparency by AV companies

We ask, in particular, that the following critical provisions of bill B26-0684 be incorporated in a new permitting system for shared or personal autonomous vehicles in the District:

• Reporting operations and safety data, including VMT and zero-passenger miles
• Vehicle miles traveled tax
• Supporting public transit 
• Serving all wards
• User interface for individuals with disabilities

Thank you for your consideration. We urge the committee to recommend the bill to the full Council. 

Sincerely,

Cheryl Cort

DC & Prince George’s Policy Director