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The DowntownDC BID recently established a Public Space Working Group, which includes about a dozen agencies, organizations and companies with a vested interest in public space and responsibility for some public space assets such as sidewalks and streetlights. At a meeting held at BID headquarters yesterday, the group learned about an array of different defects, from broken parking meters to graffiti; targeted areas considered “hot spots”—such as Gallery Place, Metro Center, Judiciary Square, Franklin Square Park and Freedom Plaza; and how a collective approach to problem solving benefits all concerned, including city residents, visitors and workers.
The working group will also focus on vending, snow removal, food truck and park-related issues. Among its goals:
- Identify public space problems more quickly
- Create and implement practical and effective solutions
- Establish criteria, standards, and priorities
- Improve communication among the participants to stay informed about projects and data collection methods
As a facilitator, the BID will give the working group members weekly updates about public space information that it collects from Downtown streets, such as the locations where defects exist and photos showing those deficiencies. In turn, individual group members will address specific issues and respond with progress reports. Furthermore, both the BID and its partners will align their priorities to resolve problems more expeditiously.
The new working group consists of representatives from the Executive Office of the Mayor (EOM), the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), the Department of Public Works (DPW), the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the Office of Unified Communications (OUC), the DC Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA), Washington Gas, Pepco (701 9th Street), the National Park Service (NPS), the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and the DC Fire and EMS Department.
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