People first, not cars.
With the District Government currently failing in its goal to end traffic deaths and serious injuries , Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau, D-Ward 1, re-introduced legislation that would change the status quo of how roads are designed and put safety and livability for all road users above efficiently moving cars.
The Prioritizing People in Planning Amendment Act of 2023 would eliminate the outdated “level of service” standard as the sole metric for assessing roadways and intersections when considering changes to road design or the impact of development projects.
Instead, the Department of Transportation would be charged with developing alternative metrics that better reflect the way residents already use our streets and sidewalks, and to align with D.C.’s climate and sustainability goals1.
Our current metrics prioritizes motorized traffic above all other road users including transit riders, pedestrians and bicyclists.
This bill will allow and encourage DDOT to look at multiple factors, not just cars when designing our roads!
This is a major piece of legislation that WABA has been trying to pass for years, and now is our moment to pass it ASAP!
1 (source: https://www.brianneknadeau.com/updates/press-release/legislation-would-upend-status-quo-road-design)