January 28, 2026
Hon. Charles Allen, Councilmember
Chair, Committee on Transportation & the Environment
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20004
RE: DDOT Performance Oversight Hearing
Please accept these comments on behalf of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. 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 would like to recognize the efforts of this committee and DDOT in building a safer, more multimodal transportation network. Continued success in safety and better transportation choices will be foundational to a revitalized Downtown economy and connected thriving neighborhoods.
Every day, we observe safety improvements on our streets with tighter intersections, protected bike lanes, curb extensions, and the like. We also applaud the District’s bus priority program to deliver faster, more reliable bus service to residents and visitors.
We are relieved to see the decline in traffic and pedestrian fatalities in the last year. We commend the council and DDOT for continued efforts to make travel safer.
Vision Zero means safer arterial redesign
The traffic deaths we still are experiencing are preventable, and that is why we need to implement the Vision Zero 2022 update. This means allocating more resources to redesign arterials on the high injury network where most traffic deaths occur. We should use quick build tactics with temporary materials, and then as time and more resources permit, these interventions can be converted to permanent materials. DDOT has been innovative in doing this — we just need to do it more.
We note that photo enforcement for speed and red light running is a critical tool to achieve safety goals. This effective use of technology complements but does not replace the redesign of dangerous arterials.
Protected bike lanes are part of the safety interventions. While DDOT has built out many well-designed facilities, we have also seen it back track from this important safety tool – like the Arizona Ave. protected bike lanes which were removed by the District.
Bus Priority Program
We want to commend DDOT for its bus priority program which is planning and implementing bus lanes, bus stop improvements, signal priority, queue jumps, and other priority measures to make the most of our bus service so that it can be reliable and fast. These investments are crucial to connecting DC residents and visitors to jobs, schools, stores, and services. By making bus service work better, more people can benefit and take advantage of this affordable and congestion-reducing travel mode.
Delivering more efficient, reliable bus service is a benefit to all DC residents and visitors, but is especially important for low income residents and people of color, who make up a majority of bus riders.
Downtown
We are eager to continue to engage on the Downtown Transportation Plan. This plan is essential to connecting downtown to the region and inviting visitors to our downtown to enjoy safe, convenient and enjoyable walking, biking and lingering at parks and plazas. Protected bike lands, bus lanes, pedestrian-friendly intersections and crossing are all part of the solution. We urge the council to ensure that DDOT works with DMPED to put forth a visionary downtown transportation plan that focuses on creating great places and great access for people.
Parking cashout implementation
We thank the committee for its support for the parking cashout law, which offers flexible commute benefits for employees offered a parking space subsidy by their employers. This helps reduce traffic congestion and pollution, and increase workers’ ability to choose sustainable commutes. As DDOT’s guide recommends – “By discontinuing free, subsidized, or reimbursed parking, you remove the criteria that requires you to implement a compliance option, hence qualifying you for an exemption. Out of all the options, removing parking benefits is the quickest and most cost-effective way of complying with the law.”
We ask the committee to ensure that the administration is addressing how to bring the rest of covered employers into compliance to ensure we all benefit from this approach to reducing traffic and increasing choice.
Towards a form-based approach to land use and public space regulations
DDOT plays a crucial role in the regulation of public space, yet has only a minor role in the development review process at the Zoning Commission, and in zoning regulations which connect to and shape the public space. We ask that the Committee work with the administration to bring together DDOT and DC Office of Planning to chart a new level of coordination to achieve the public realm we should expect through the development review process. With the upcoming rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan, this is an opportune time to address the integration of public space with private land use regulations.
Through stronger coordination we can facilitate a building form based approach to zoning (known as form-based codes). Form based codes addresses the relationship between building facades and the public realm, the form and mass of buildings in relation to one another, and the scale and types of streets and blocks. Effective regulation of the public realm integrated with zoning and development review better supports area-wide rezonings such as for Wisconsin Avenue corridor from Friendship Heights to Tenleytown. An integrated approach to regulating private building forms and the public realm through planning and zoning will create a community vision and guide to future changes. This enables, and builds confidence in a more predictable development review process and buildout, facilitating new housing, affordable housing, and vibrant walkable neighborhoods.
Appreciation for DC work on VDOT I-495 Southside Express Lanes
We want to acknowledge DC’s help and support for the recent decision at the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) that sent VDOT’s I-495 Southside Express Lanes proposal back to the drawing board. The TPB rightly decided to hold off on adding the VDOT project to the region’s long-range transportation plan, Visualize 2050. We agree with DC and area officials that VDOT’s proposals did not adequately address regional concerns.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Cort
DC and Prince George’s Policy Director