Roads

Traffic counting and parking: I'm quoted in the press

by David Alpert   •   August 12, 2008 8:53 am

DDOT is upgrading their automatic traffic counting machines, to not only count cars but the amount of snow, temperature, sizes of trucks, and more, reports the Examiner. I told the Examiner reporter about the way DDOT can be great or terrible depending on who's involved with a project, and ended up with a good quote:

More, and more accurate, traffic data might help DDOT make decisions about intersection improvements, said David Alpert, who tracks D.C. planning and transportation issues for his blog, GreaterGreaterWashington.org. The public's job, Alpert said, is to "try to pressure them to use the data in a good way" to upgrade the system for everyone—drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

And AAA provides the reliable anti-livable streets viewpoint: "But by reducing parking spaces, fining drivers every which way and slowing traffic to a crawl, D.C. is still on pace to become 'the most car unfriendly city in America' even with precise vehicle data, said Lon Anderson, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic."

I actually rebut Anderson's points in last week's Current, which has an excellent front-page article (continuation here) about the parking zoning hearing. Reflecting the strong turnout in favor, the headline reads "Parking plan draws general praise." I show up in the article following the opposition quotes from George Clark and Marilyn Simon:

David Alpert, a Dupont Circle resident, said he does not understand the opponents' fears. "They're not recommending any reduction in parking," he said of the Office of Planning proposal. Alpert added that a policy of creating more off-street parking would only encourage more people to drive.