(Washington, DC) Mayor Anthony A. Williams today launched a new program to help alleviate downtown congestion during morning and evening rush hours. He was joined by members of the Downtown Congestion Task Force, City Council, and labor and business leaders.
This is a joint project of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the Department of Public Works (DPW), and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). DDOT contributed the funds for training, uniforms and equipment. MPD, with DDOT, selected the locations where traffic congestion was a major factor in the efficient movement of vehicles and people.
DPW staff studied intersection control practices in other cities and recruited the 30 Parking and Traffic Enforcement Officers (TEOs) from the ranks of Parking Services. The TEOs received three days of traffic direction training from MPD — more than police officers themselves normally receive during their training.
The downtown-focused program has two interrelated components: Rush hour traffic assistance and off-peak parking enforcement. Both are key to facilitating smooth flow of vehicles in heavily trafficked areas. The TEOs will be deployed at approximately 15 targeted downtown intersections to direct traffic and keep intersections (“the box”) clear during morning and afternoon rush hours (7–9:30 am and 4–6:30 pm), Monday through Friday.
When not directing rush hour traffic, the TEOs will be tasked with enforcing specific regulations that have the most impact on downtown traffic, such as double-parking and parking at loading and unloading zones.
By preventing intersection gridlock, moving vehicles smoothly through intersections, and reducing blockages caused by double-parking, the TEOs will promote mobility necessary for a robust economy in the District.
The new program is one of the first initiatives to come from the Mayor’s Downtown Congestion Task Force; a group comprised of 50 business and community leaders, as well as elected and appointed officials.
Mayor Williams was also joined by DC Council members Carol Schwartz and Jim Graham; William O. Howland, Jr., Acting Director, DPW; Dan Tangherlini, Director, DDOT; Joslyn (Jos) Williams, President, Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO; Robert Peck, President, Greater Washington Board of Trade, and Rich Bradley, President, Downtown DC Business Improvement District.