WABA’s DC Office of Unified Communications (OUC) FY27 Budget Testimony

You can view this document in PDF form here.

Oversight Hearing on the Office of Unified Communications’ FY27 Budget

April 29, 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.

Our testimony focuses on the DC 311 system, which makes it easy for DC residents and businesses to report issues via an app or the Web or by phone, and to track the resolution of issues they’ve reported. Of course we understand that while the OUC operates DC 311, issue resolution and status updates are up to city departments.

The District’s current, FY26 budget included funding for the OUC, 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 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.

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 are puzzled by the lack of response from OUC to the request for this commonsense improvement, and 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.

We at WABA envision a just and sustainable region where walking, biking, and transit are the best ways to get around, in concordance with the District of Columbia’s commitments. We ask the OUC, supported by the council, to implement our recommendations in order to meet the city’s commitments and improve city service delivery.

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.