WABA’s DC Dept. of Public Works (DPW) FY27 Budget Testimony

WABA's 2026 (FY27) Dept. of Public Works (DPW) budget-oversight testimony.

You can view this document in PDF form here.

2026 Oversight Hearing on the Department of Public Works’ FY27 Budget

April 30, 2026

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), on behalf of its over 5,000 members and over 26,000 DC supporters, appreciates the opportunity to testify on this occasion.

DC has experienced 16 traffic deaths in 2026 to date including six pedestrians, one bike rider, and one scooter rider. We’re on pace to hit 50 traffic deaths this year, 56% higher than last year’s toll.

The District must boost safety by acting aggressively to get dangerous drivers off the streets. The STEER Act provides authority for the Dept. of Public Works to boot, tow, and impound scofflaw vehicles, but it seems DPW has been resource limited. We ask the Administration and Council to fund DPW capacity to do its part to achieve the Vision Zero goal articulated by Mayor Bowser in 2014: zero deaths and serious injuries on DC’s streets.

Enforcement reporting is a step toward improving and maintaining improved enforcement. Echoing DC Families for Safe Streets, we call on the Administration and Council to fund a dedicated STEER Act data unit and on the technology side, real-time camera integration, publishing a weekly public report covering the number of dangerous vehicles out there, how many were immobilized and impounded, and how many remain on the streets.

Specific to micromobility users: Bike and scooter riders rely on and value the city’s bike lane and trail network. We deserve safe, well maintained infrastructure, which – related to Department of Public Works responsibilities – means bike lanes clear of leaves, debris, illegally stopped or parked vehicles, and snow and ice. Please fund capacity to deal with seasonal needs (leaves and snow and ice) and year-round needs.

The District’s current, FY26 budget included funding for the Office of Unified Communications, working with the Dept. of Public Works, to create a reporting option for obstructions, debris, snow and ice, and leaves in bike lanes. Half-way into FY26, OUC has not delivered this new reporting category. We ask that DPW and OUC deliver it as soon as practicable and that spending authority or funding be carried over into FY27 if OUC can not timely complete this DC 311 upgrade.

Also related to DPW: We and others have had a long-standing request that DC 311 allow reporting without a street address, using geolocating. The lack of the feature means reports filed with an inaccurate location. This update will facilitate reporting issues in DC parks and in locations next to parks where there are no buildings and hence no street address. This feature is technically feasible. We ask the Administration and Council to fund this capability in FY27, or using unspent FY26 funds if feasible, and we ask OUC to prioritize delivering this capability as soon as practicable.

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.