NEWS: DDOT Shares Materials on Traffic Plans Surrounding 14th & U Projects

On August 18, 2012, the Department of Transportation’s Public Space office held a public meeting at the Reeves Center to discuss the traffic management and public space use plans related to the large number of construction and development projects near to 14th and U Streets NW.

Below are the follow-up documents that DDOT shared after the meeting, including traffic management proposals and comments.

Memo Regarding Traffic Control Plan, 14th & Wallach

Letter to DDOT Requesting Extended Hours 08-23-2012 Signed

Traffic Contol sheets

Drawings

For questions please contact Bernadette Edwards at DDOT:

Bernadette Edwards
Customer Service Manager
Public Space Regulations Administration
1100 4th St., S.W., Suite E-360
Washington, D.C.  20024
(202) 535-2982 (Office)
bernadette.edwards@dc.gov

NEWS: Public Meeting on New Hampshire Ave Project 8/29/12

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the project managers will be holding a public informational meeting on the New Hampshire streetscape project this Wednesday, August 29th at the Flats (2000 N Street NW) at 7:00pm.  The discussion will revolve around the planned project, which will reconstruct NH Ave from Dupont Circle down to Washington Circle.

NEWS: DDOT Hosts 2 Parking “Think Tank” Meetings

The Department of Transportation is planning to host 2 meetings called “Parking Think Tanks” in the next few weeks.  The Dupont ANC already hosted one public meeting on parking earlier this year (summary here), and we plan to host another follow-up meeting in the next 2 months.  Please be on the lookout.  In the meantime, here is the full notice from DDOT on their “Parking Think Tanks”:

(Washington, D.C.)  The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is hosting a series of community conversations, called Parking Think Tanks, to gauge the state of parking and to solicit public input on the future of parking in the District. DDOT envisions that these conversations will contribute to the development of a comprehensive curbside parking management plan.

In the ten years since DDOT’s establishment both the District and the role of transportation have changed dramatically.  The population has grown; vehicle ownership has declined; transportation options and choices have greatly expanded; and more people are taking advantage of these new options.  DDOT is asking for citizen input to develop strategies and recommendations to better balance the parking needs of everyone -employees, residents, and visitors – who competes for a share of the limited curbspace.

The goal of parking management in the District is to improve mobility and convenience by:

×         Preserving access to parking in residential areas for residents;

×         Promoting and facilitating commerce by prioritizing customer and commercial vehicle access in commercial areas; and

×         Ensuring the safety of all transportation users including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motorists.

DDOT is seeking comments and recommendations on a number of its current parking programs such as the Residential and Visitor Permit Parking (RPP) programs, Performance Based Parking, parking meters, the management of reserved / restricted spaces (such as commercial loading, car sharing, ADA parking, etc.) and bicycle and scooter parking accommodations. Details about DDOT’s current parking programs are available online at http://ddot.dc.gov/DC/DDOT/Services/Parking+Services. In addition, DDOT is seeking suggestions for future parking enhancement opportunities

Anyone who visits, lives or works in the District is invited to attend a Parking Think Tank and/or to share their input via an online survey.  The input received will help shape future parking policies and programs to create a more efficient use of parking resources.

The following Parking Think Tanks are scheduled to take place as follows:

×         Tuesday, August 28, 2012
2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
One Judiciary Square (Old Council Chambers)
441 4th Street, NW

×         Tuesday, September 18, 2012
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Ora Glover Community Room
1800 Good Hope Road, SE

The schedule for the additional Parking Think Tanks, the online survey and the information that will be presented at these meetings will be made available online at ddot.dc.gov/ParkingThinkTanks. The same DDOT presentation will be made at each Parking Think Tank.

Following the Parking Think Tanks, DDOT will host a public summit to report on the input received from the public; how the input may potentially shape the outcome of comprehensive curbside parking management plan; and the agency’s next steps.

Questions and requests for additional information may be directed to Angelo Rao at 202-671-1370 or angelo.rao@dc.gov.

NEWS: New Draft Signage Regulations

The D.C. Government has released proposed, consolidated regulations on signage in the District.  Below is the public notice that ANC Commissioners received:

On Friday, August 17, the District of Columbia released the proposed rules for the display or posting of a wide range of outdoor signs in the District.  The publication of the newly re-organized and simplified draft regulations is the result of an extensive multi-agency effort, initiated by Mayor Vincent C. Gray, to simplify and provide greater clarity to the existing complex and arcane sign rules.  Mayor Vincent C. Gray stated that “It is anticipated that all stakeholders, whether in private industry or the general public, will benefit from these new simplified regulations.”

The proposed regulations consolidate all of the District’s rules pertaining to outdoor signage in one section of the District’s Municipal Regulations.  The regulations also state the rules for posting and, if necessary, obtaining a permit to post signs.  Title 13 of the DC Municipal Regulations (DCMR), where the new regulations will be located, is organized so that rules that address specific types of outdoor signage are grouped in the same chapter.  For example, regulations regarding signs on public space are in their own chapter, separate from the chapter for signs on private property.  Finally, for each type of sign requiring a permit it is clearly indicated which agencies will be involved in the submission, review, approval and permit issuance process as well as which agency will be responsible for enforcement of the regulations.

The draft regulations can be found on the DC Register’s website and will be available for public comment for the next 60 days.

Comments may be submitted in writing to Alice Kelly, Manager, Policy Branch, Policy, Planning and Sustainability Administration, District Department of Transportation, 55 M Street, S.E., 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20003 or emailed to policy.ddot@dc.gov.

For additional information please contact Alice Kelly at (202) 671-2252 or Alice.Kelly@dc.gov.