Investing in and Expanding Transit

Ward 3 needs a Councilmember who will aggressively advocate for investment in expanding transit. Instead of fighting service cuts, let’s focus on improving and expanding public transit options in the District.  While we need to push WMATA to expand rail and bus service—including extending Metrorail service all the way down Wisconsin Avenue to Georgetown, with stops in the Cathedral Heights and Glover Park areas, the Council can move the ball forward by investing in bus priority lanes and other measures to speed up bus service and building out a “home rule” transit system using the Circulator and Streetcar aimed at filling in transit gaps. 

My Plan in Brief

  • Improve bus reliability and reduce travel time. 

  • Advocate for more bus priority lanes in areas poorly served by Metrorail, such as Wisconsin Avenue south of Tenleytown.

  • Reduce traffic, promote transit use, and increase the reliability of bus service by instituting congestion pricing.

  • Target transit gaps by building out a “Home Rule” transit system. 

  • Pass Metro for DC.  

  • Lobby hard for Metrorail expansion within the district.

  • Hold WMATA Accountable.

  • Advocate for the creation of a Parking Reform Commission to design a system that (a) works better for residents and businesses and (b) makes it easier to re-design streets to promote multimodal transportation and traffic safety.

  • Develop a plan to address the need for short-term parking for delivery drivers, taxis, and rideshare drivers. 

a SHORT AND LONG-TERM PLAN TO IMPROVE TRANSIT

As your Councilmember, I will fight to:

  • Improve bus reliability and reduce travel time.  Improving access to transit and making it more attractive is the single best way to reach our climate goals and reduce traffic.    My neighborhood is entirely dependent on WMATA bus service so I understand on a personal level the frustrations that so many bus riders have about WMATA bus service.  The dramatic service cuts for the past two years have been frustrating and greatly disruptive.  But even before the pandemic, the poor reliability and slow travel time made the bus unattractive to many of my neighbors.  DDOT’s bus priority plan is a good start. The Council must ensure that DDOT has the funds and support to move forward.  The Council must also fund signal priority, particularly on road segments that have heavy bus traffic but are not slated to get bus priority lanes. 

  • Advocate for more bus priority lanes in areas poorly served by Metrorail, such as Wisconsin Avenue south of Tenleytown.

  • Reduce traffic, promote transit use, and increase the reliability of bus service by instituting congestion pricing.

  • Target transit gaps by building out a “Home Rule” transit system.  The Metro was built to serve Maryland and Virginia commuters and it shows.  Many of our neighborhoods are effectively transit deserts dependent only on limited and inadequate bus service.  We must push for more from WMATA, but we can also take matters into our own hands and build a robust “Home Rule” transit system using the Circulator and Streetcar.  Meaningful expansion of either the Circulator or Streetcar would require sizable increases in funding, which may not be possible in the short term.  However, even slow progress on expanding the Circulator and Streetcar networks could lead to transformative change for impacted communities, particularly if DDOT is directed to prioritize transit deserts. 

  • Pass Metro for DC.  The Metro for DC Amendment Act of 2021 is an ambitious bill currently being debated by the Council.  It would create a dedicated fund for improving bus service and creating new bus routes.  This will greatly improve the existing system for riders.  It will also be an important step towards improving building a Home Rule system. The bill also includes a monthly credit for DC residents to use on public transit, which will reduce the burden on thousands of Washingtonians that rely on transit to get to work, school, or to medical appointments.

  • Lobby hard for Metrorail expansion within the district. This century has seen remarkable investment in extending Metrorail out into exurban communities.  It’s time to start the long conversation about expanding Metrorail within the District.  For Ward 3, the argument is clear: extend a line from Tenleytown down Wisconsin Avenue to Georgetown with stops in Cathedral Heights and Glover Park.  The neighborhoods along this part of Wisconsin Avenue combine to form one of the densest residential parts of DC.  And yet, residents are miles from a metro stop. Let’s dream big. 

  • Hold WMATA Accountable. As your Councilmember, I will be a loud and consistent advocate for improved Metrorail and Metrobus service.  WMATA has an obligation to riders and it needs to be held accountable when it, yet again, fails to deliver because of mismanagement, incompetence, or poor planning. 

  • Advocate for the creation of a Parking Reform Commission.  The Council punted discussion of parking during the redistricting process, although there was recognition that the District’s parking system is in need of reform.  Creating a Parking Reform Commission to study how other cities manage neighborhood-level parking, parking in commercial areas, visitor parking, parking fees, time-limited parking zones, and parking enforcement. This can help the Council create a system that is fairer for residents—many of whom are forced to hunt for spots because of non-resident parking—and uses public space more efficiently. 

     A neighborhood parking system aimed at discouraging commuters and other non-residents from using neighborhood on-street parking will yield major dividends for our Vision Zero efforts.  As any ANC Commissioner can tell you, concerns about the impact on parking is the most common sticking point during discussions about how to redesign streets.  Our leaders should not privilege parking concerns over safety.  But activists make a profound mistake by dismissively waving away concerns about parking. Seniors comprise a higher percentage of Ward 3’s population than any other ward.  We also have many neighborhoods that have poor transit connectivity.  You can blame “car culture” all you want but the reality is that it is not realistic to expect these residents to opt for alternatives to driving in great numbers, absent a transformative investment in public transit—something we should absolutely do! 

  • Develop a plan to address the need for short-term parking for delivery drivers, taxis, and rideshare drivers.  It’s 2022 and time to adapt our streets to the way we live our lives by acknowledging a need to accommodate these essential workers.  Double-parked vehicles on narrow streets create traffic bottlenecks and safety issues as cars maneuver around them.   Funding should be set aside to actively plan for this need, in consultation with DDOT, relevant companies, and the community.  

Ben’s resolutions calling on WMATA to restore and improve bus service in ANC 3D.