Sound off: how are DDOT and DPW doing?

January 31, 2025

Looking for a chance to give DC agencies feedback on the pace of new bike lane construction, or on clearing snow (and parked cars) from existing bike lanes?

The DC Council has embarked on an annual exercise: over the next few weeks, Council committees will be convening performance oversight hearings to examine city-agency activities and accomplishments. The committees will hear from officials and from the public, who will have opportunities to testify and submit written testimony. The Council will also hear from city committees including the Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC), the Pedestrian Advisory Council (PAC), and the Multimodal Accessibility Advisory Council. If you’d like to learn more about the process, check out this video of Greater Greater Washington’s 2024 training on the DC Council’s performance-oversight process.

WABA staff plan to testify, and we’d very much appreciate your sharing with us your thoughts and concerns, particularly about DDOT and the Department of Public Works (DPW). What’s on your mind, regarding each agency’s performance? Please send us a note at advocacy@waba.org to let us know.

What you can do:

The DDOT oversight hearings are scheduled for February 5 (public witnesses) and 11 (agency witnesses), and the DPW hearing will take place on February 11. Sign-up to testify during the February 5 DDOT hearing and the February 11 DPW hearing. If you can’t make it in person you can also submit written testimony at the same links.

WABA’s take:

For DDOT, we see slow but measurable progress in creation of protected bike lanes, with the Connecticut Ave NW debacle balancing successes like lovely new bike and bus lanes on Columbia Road NW. We’re looking at and will comment on Vision Zero progress; the District E-Bike Incentive Program; Capital Bikeshare, including advocacy for extension to cargo e-bikes; the Strategic Bikeways Plan effort that got underway last summer, and other topics.

For DPW, we plan to discuss enforcement efforts; bike lane maintenance; and snow and leaf removal.But again, what’s on your mind? Please let us know via a message to advocacy@waba.org, and thanks!

More about DC Legislation

WABA's legislative work in the District of Columbia falls roughly into three categories:

Funding for (and a requirement to build) specific projects: this is how projects like the Florida Ave NE and 9th St NW protected bike lanes have become a reality. We push for this kind of legislative intervention when there's political pressure on the District Department of Transportation to delay a project, or propose a less safe alternative.

Systemic change to the decision-making process that make it easier to build safer streets (and harder to maintain the deadly status quo): The 2021 Vision Zero Omnibus bill included a number of these changes, including requirements that DDOT incorporate pedestrian and bike infrastructure on large projects.

Policy change that makes our streets safer: beyond changes to the built environment, we also push for policy improvements. Past successes include reforming Contributory Negligence so that insurance companies can't deny claims from people who've been hurt by drivers; incorporating bike and pedestrian safety into driver's tests at the DMV; and requiring construction companies to provide safe accommodations when they close bike lanes and sidewalks during construction. Current priorities include implementing automated enforcement ticket reciprocity with Maryland and Virginia so that suburban drivers can't drive dangerously without repercussions, and deprioritizing the Level of Service engineering standard.

More about Laws & Policy

WABA works with grassroots advocates at the local, county and state level to support laws and policies that make it easier and safer to walk, bike, and take transit. And we work to changes ones that make biking less safe, make it harder to build bike infrastructure, or that deprioritize the safety and convenience of people walking, biking, or taking transit.

In practice that means advocating for robust and transformative Vision Zero programs, enforceable Complete Streets policies, and funding for new infrastructure that supports biking, walking and transit.

Other regional legislative priorities include:

Reforming Contributory Negligence (passed in DC, in the works in Maryland and Virginia).
Getting rid of the Level of Service engineering standards in transportation decision-making.
Funding E-bike purchase rebates.

More about Advocacy

WABA fights for a region where biking, walking and transit are the best ways to get around.

We educate policymakers and organize grassroots advocates for to speak up for safer places to bike and walk; and for laws and policies that protect people who are walking and biking, reduce dangerous driving, and facilitate changes to the built environment.