Michelle Basch, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – As the District grows, Mayor Vincent Gray has set an aggressive transportation goal for the year 2032.
By then, he hopes 75 percent of trips are taken on public transportation, bicycles or by walking.
It’s part of the “Sustainable D.C.” plan released in April.
Some drivers who have trouble parking in the city aren’t happy with what they see as a focus away from cars.
One woman who spoke at a D.C. Department of Transportation parking summit Wednesday said she “resents” the city’s plans.
A man spoke up to say he would like city-owned public garages built.
“I am a young person, and I drive,” he said.
Another complaint heard repeatedly during the meeting was about new parking restrictions, added without warning, near churches on Sundays.
“We feel as a faith community that we are being pushed out,” one man said.
“We are working with places of worship to develop what we call a traffic control plan…on the most particular day of worship,” Angelo Rao, manager of the DDOT’s parking and streetlight program, told the audience.
Parking restrictions in neighborhoods typically appear in D.C. when residential permit parking zones, or RPPs, are created to ensure people can park near their homes.
Because of legislation passed by the D.C. Council, new parking rules are kicking in now across an entire ward: Ward 1 in Northwest.
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