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Rush-hour parking rules will be extended 30 minutes each morning and afternoon, or in some cases all day, on major D.C. roads that carry heavy bus traffic as part of the District’s efforts to keep traffic moving during 10 months of round-the-clock Metro track repairs.
Initially, the extended parking restrictions will apply to east-west corridors or connections like Wisconsin Avenue and Benning Road. The first two Metro workzones directly impact riders traveling to or from areas to the east and west of the District and who use stations served by the Blue, Orange and Silver lines.
District officials announced the parking changes Thursday. The extended hours will provide an extra travel lane to help move what is expected to be heavier traffic volume.
The District Department of Transportation plans to put decals on parking signs indicating the new rules, but could initially post temporary paper signs along some blocks.
DDOT Director Leif Dormsjo said drivers should look carefully at the signs where they are parking to be sure there have not been any changes.
District officials project that the first rounds of targeted repair work could affect more than 200,000 rail riders in some way. Riders take more than 700,000 trip daily on Metro.
Later, when the work shifts to the Red Line for the first time in August, the DDOT said that the rush hour parking restrictions will spread to north-south corridors like those connecting Silver Spring to Downtown. In some locations, rush hour restrictions could be extended all day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Dormsjo said there will be no parking changes along reversible roads like Connecticut Avenue — at least, not yet.
Although the extended parking hours are temporary and will last through the end of the scheduled track work in March, DDOT will analyze the impact of the changes during the coming months to decide whether they should become permanent.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said the District does not have a cost estimate for the parking changes, which will eliminate an hour or more of parking meter revenue each day.
D.C. parking meter rates increased this week to $2.30 per hour.
source: WTOP.com
