Hill Rag

RFK Parking, Take 2

Mass Complaints Cause DDOT Parking Plan Overhaul

by: Gabriel Pacyniak

One month after enacting an aggressive parking plan to prevent RFK stadium spectators from parking in nearby neighborhoods, the District’s Department of Transportation (DDOT), responding to overwhelming complaints, completely revised the program. Residents living near the RFK Stadium had complained that the original plan was too complex, poorly advertised and inconvenient. It resulted, they claimed, issuance of unwarranted parking tickets to area residents during baseball games and other stadium events. According to DDOT planners, the new plan incorporates community input gathered during a packed town-hall meeting held on May 12.

The original plan designated two zones surrounding the stadium. In the inner area, known as the RFK Stadium special permit zone, all vehicles parked on the street during stadium events were required to display a special parking permit. Residents could obtain the permit from the RFK stadium office only during business hours. The outer section was subject to no additional parking restrictions. However, all blocks under Residential Permit Parking (RPP) were targeted for additional parking enforcement. During events, the DC Department of Public Works (DPW) “aggressively enforced” regulations in both zones, ticketing and towing all cars without appropriate permits. Many residents complained that they had not received proper notification of the new rules, which were finalized within a week of being put into effect. Others also complained that it was unfair to require residents to have to obtain permits during business hours at the RFK Stadium.

Under the new plan, the special permit zone is eliminated. Instead, all streets in the former zone are subject to RPP between 7 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. The zone boundaries for Capitol Hill are Maryland Ave., SE; and Benning Rd., NE; the Anacostia River; Pennsylvania Ave., SE; and 13th St., SE and NE. Boundaries for River Terrace in Ward 7 are East Capitol St., NE; Kenilworth Ave., NE; Benning Rd., NE; and the Anacostia River. Under RPP, parking is restricted to vehicles with a permit for the specified zone during stated hours. In the case of a stadium event, vehicles without permits are also prohibited from parking in the zone outside of the time window.

To address the inconvenience of obtaining visitor-parking permits, DDOT will mail one permanent visitor pass to each household in the zone. Additional visitor permits can be issued by the Metropolitan Police Department. While many blocks in the stadium zone already function under RPP, the remainder those blocks will be so designated in early June, according to DDOT.

DPW will continue to conduct aggressive enforcement of RPP during stadium events. However, this period will be limited to two hours after the start of the event. An RFK event schedule will also be sent to all residents in the area along with a letter explaining the entire program, according to DDOT.

DDOT Director Dan Tangherlini, who was present at the town hall meeting held on the issue at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, denied that the parking plan revision reflected poor planning. Instead, he pointed to the delicate balance required between strict enforcement to prevent baseball fans from abusing resident parking on the one hand, and residents’ ease and convenience. “The [first plan] was very aggressive,” said Tangherlini, “and we issued 2300 tickets, of which only 100, 150 people asked for tickets to be voided.”

Tangherlini said that the vast majority of those tickets had been issued to Maryland and Virginia residents. The aggressive enforcement during the first few home games played by the Washington Nationals would have a lasting effect in discouraging fan parking on neighborhood streets, he stated

Many of the over 100 residents in attendance at the meeting, however, expressed strong feelings that the first parking plan had created unnecessary hardships and strain. “I don’t drive and I feel trapped without any visitors. How am I supposed to get down [to the stadium] and pick up a pass for them?” asked Hammond Scott, a longtime Hill East resident, referencing the lack of visitors passes in the original proposal.

Ward 6 Councilmember Sharon Ambrose, who was also at the meeting, acknowledged that there was strong community criticism of the original plan, but expressed high hopes that the new version would be satisfactory. “I have been working with DDOT on this from the beginning, and it is a very difficult issue to please everyone on. But after this meeting, I expect [DDOT] to be able to refine the plan to work pretty well,” Ambrose said.

For more information, please contact DDOT Ward 6 Planner Christopher Delfs, 202.671.1598, or by email christopher.delfs@dc.gov.


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RFK Parking, Take 2
Mass Complaints Cause DDOT Parking Plan Overhaul
by: Gabriel Pacyniak
One month after enacting an aggressive parking plan to prevent RFK stadium spectators from parking in nearby neighborhoods, the District’s Department of Transportation (DDOT), responding to overwhelming complaints, completely revised the program. Residents living near the RFK Stadium had complained that the original plan was too complex, poorly advertised and inconvenient. It resulted, they claimed, issuance of unwarranted parking tickets to area residents during baseball games and other stadium events. According to DDOT planners, the new plan incorporates community input gathered during a packed town-hall meeting held on May 12. The original plan designated two zones surrounding the stadium. In the inner area, known as the RFK Stadium special permit zone, all vehicles parked on the street during stadium events were required to display a special parking permit. Residents could obtain the permit from the RFK stadium office only during business hours. The outer section was subject to no additional parking restrictions. However, all blocks under Residential Permit Parking (RPP) were targeted for additional parking enforcement. During events, the DC Department of Public Works (DPW) “aggressively enforced” regulations in both zones, ticketing and towing all cars without appropriate permits. Many residents complained that they had not received proper notification of the new rules, which were finalized within a week of being put into effect. Others also complained that it was unfair to require residents to have to obtain permits during business hours at the RFK Stadium. Under the new plan, the special permit zone is eliminated. Instead, all streets in the former zone are subject to RPP between 7 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. The zone boundaries for Capitol Hill are Maryland Ave., SE; and Benning Rd., NE; the Anacostia River; Pennsylvania Ave., SE; and 13th St., SE and NE. Boundaries for River Terrace in Ward 7 are East Capitol St., NE; Kenilworth Ave., NE; Benning Rd., NE; and the Anacostia River. Under RPP, parking is restricted to vehicles with a permit for the specified zone during stated hours. In the case of a stadium event, vehicles without permits are also prohibited from parking in the zone outside of the time window. To address the inconvenience of obtaining visitor-parking permits, DDOT will mail one permanent visitor pass to each household in the zone. Additional visitor permits can be issued by the Metropolitan Police Department. While many blocks in the stadium zone already function under RPP, the remainder those blocks will be so designated in early June, according to DDOT. DPW will continue to conduct aggressive enforcement of RPP during stadium events. However, this period will be limited to two hours after the start of the event. An RFK event schedule will also be sent to all residents in the area along with a letter explaining the entire program, according to DDOT. DDOT Director Dan Tangherlini, who was present at the town hall meeting held on the issue at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, denied that the parking plan revision reflected poor planning. Instead, he pointed to the delicate balance required between strict enforcement to prevent baseball fans from abusing resident parking on the one hand, and residents’ ease and convenience. “The [first plan] was very aggressive,” said Tangherlini, “and we issued 2300 tickets, of which only 100, 150 people asked for tickets to be voided.” Tangherlini said that the vast majority of those tickets had been issued to Maryland and Virginia residents. The aggressive enforcement during the first few home games played by the Washington Nationals would have a lasting effect in discouraging fan parking on neighborhood streets, he stated Many of the over 100 residents in attendance at the meeting, however, expressed strong feelings that the first parking plan had created unnecessary hardships and strain. “I don’t drive and I feel trapped without any visitors. How am I supposed to get down [to the stadium] and pick up a pass for them?” asked Hammond Scott, a longtime Hill East resident, referencing the lack of visitors passes in the original proposal. Ward 6 Councilmember Sharon Ambrose, who was also at the meeting, acknowledged that there was strong community criticism of the original plan, but expressed high hopes that the new version would be satisfactory. “I have been working with DDOT on this from the beginning, and it is a very difficult issue to please everyone on. But after this meeting, I expect [DDOT] to be able to refine the plan to work pretty well,” Ambrose said. For more information, please contact DDOT Ward 6 Planner Christopher Delfs, 202.671.1598, or by email christopher.delfs@dc.gov.