(Washington, DC) Mayor Anthony A. Williams has launched the deployment of Traffic Enforcement Officers (TEOs) to help alleviate downtown congestion during morning and evening rush hours. He was joined by members of the Downtown Congestion Task Force, Council member Carol Schwartz, Joslyn (Jos) Williams, President, Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO and other labor and business leaders.

 

This is a joint project of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) the Department of Public Works (DPW), and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). DDOT contributed the funds for training, uniforms and equipment. MPD, with DDOT, selected the locations where traffic congestion was a major factor in the efficient movement of vehicles and people.

 

The program has two interrelated components: rush hour traffic assistance and off-peak parking enforcement. Both are key to facilitating smooth flow of vehicles in heavily trafficked areas. The TEOs will be deployed at approximately 15 targeted downtown intersections to direct traffic and keep intersections ("the box") clear during morning and afternoon rush hours (7 - 9:30 am and 4 - 6:30 pm), Monday through Friday. 

 

DPW staff studied intersection control practices in other cities and recruited the 30 Parking and TEOs from the ranks of Parking Services personnel. The TEOs received two days of traffic direction training at the MPD Academy - one day more than police officers themselves receive during their training. 

 

When not directing rush hour traffic, the TEOs will be tasked with enforcing specific regulations that have the most impact on downtown traffic, such as double-parking and parking at loading and unloading zones. By preventing intersection gridlock, moving vehicles smoothly through intersections, and reducing blockages caused by double-parking, the TEOs will promote mobility necessary for a robust economy in the District.

 

The new program is one of the first initiatives to come from the Mayor's Downtown Congestion Task Force; a group comprised of 50 business and community leaders, as well as elected and appointed officials.

 

Mayor Williams was also joined by William O. Howland, Jr., Acting Director, DPW; Dan Tangherlini, Director, DDOT; Rich Bradley, President, Downtown DC Business Improvement District and representatives of the Greater Washington Board of Trade.