Transportation Issue Brief
Number 3 - March 2009
Comprehensive Goods and Services Delivery Program
DC Council Action on Commercial
Loading Zones
Councilmember Jim Graham (Ward 1) introduced the Commercial Curbside Loading Zones Implementation Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009. The legislation aims to improve how commercial loading zones function. Goods and services deliveries are essential to the city’s economy. Currently, the poor state of management and enforcement has a negative impact on all traffic. The legislation builds on the District Department of Transportation’s research, conducted jointly with the Golden Triangle and Downtown BIDs, which succeeded in reducing travel times --an indicator of congestion reduction. Improved curbside management was a recommendation from the Downtown Congestion Management Task Force, a group with wide stakeholder and DC government agency participation.
Current Practices Create Unreliable
Travel Times
Illegal parking for goods and services delivery which causes traffic congestion is well documented in Downtown DC. A 2003 District Department of Transportation (DDOT) report on L Street found that commercial vehicles park in travel lanes to deliver everything from packages to drinking water, thereby reducing street capacity by as much as 40%. Illegally parked commercial vehicles in bus zones have an impact that ripples through the entire service route and contributes to unreliable service. Unreliable travel times add to the cost and stress of doing business Downtown for everyone.
K Street Pilot Improved Travel Times
In 2004, DDOT identified 14 of the most congested Downtown corridors. One of those, K Street, was selected for a pilot that combined three strategies to reduce illegal parking for goods and service delivery:
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Better Loading Zones. To provide easier access for commercial vehicles, loading zones were moved to the approach end of each block. Next, the K Street loading zones were extended to 100 feet in length wherever possible. These efforts were intended to reduce double parking by increasing curbside commercial loading space. Stakeholders on each block were engaged in developing the plans along the curb to create these improved loading zones |
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Metered Loading Zones. To encourage commercial vehicle turnover, metering loading zones along K Street was implemented. Commercial vehicle operators generally disregarded the requirement that they be actively loading while occupying a zone regulated for that purpose. Commercial vehicles must now pay $1 per hour (soon to be $2 an hour), with a limit of two hours. A communications program about the new metering program was implemented by the BIDs and DDOT with property owners and managers, businesses and motor carriers. |
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Enhanced Parking Enforcement. The Department of Public Works increased parking enforcement efforts on K Street between 12th and 21st Street in tandem with DDOT's other two strategies. A communications program about increased enforcement similar to that created for the metering program was conducted as well. |
In May 2007, the Downtown BID and DDOT evaluated the impact of K Street strategies. The data indicated that travel times were reduced by statistically significant amounts for automobiles (13%) and bicycles (13%). The reduction in DC Circulator travel time was notable (4%) but not as significant. This could be due to an approximately 11% increase in ridership on the Circulator between the two months when the study took place that may have produced longer dwell times at bus stops that offset travel time savings. Travel time variability also was reduced. Simply stated, shorter and more reliable travel times on K Street were observed after DDOT implemented congestion management measures.
Legislative Provisions
The Commercial Curbside Loading Zone Implementation Act of 2009 specifies five components of a management and enforcement program to create and sustain long-term congestion reduction benefits.
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Loading zone meter fees. The legislation gives DDOT the authority to establish variable meter rates for commercial loading zones. Currently DDOT can charge only $2 an hour in a commercial loading zone.
To encourage loading zone turnover, DDOT could increase parking rates progressively over time. Progressive parking rates might be $2 for the first hour and $3 for the second. The New York City Department of Transportation instituted progressive parking rates in commercial loading zones with good results.
Performance based pricing based on the time of day is another possible approach that that would help achieve a specified amount of available space. For example, rates could be raised during peak periods to achieve a minimum of 50% of commercial loading zone space availability. During lower periods of demand, the parking rate would drop. |
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Minimum curbside loading zone requirements and duration. The current standard length of a loading zone is 40 feet. Loading zones should be lengthened in high demand areas.
Current DC regulations state that loading zones shall be occupied only so long as reasonable for loading. This creates an unenforceable situation that can be remedied by establishing a maximum time for a vehicle to use a loading zone, perhaps up to two hours. Beyond that period of time, the commercial vehicle would have the option of getting a public space permit to occupy curb space, loading behind buildings or making arrangements with the building to load during unrestricted time periods. |
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Enforcement by DDOT traffic control officers. In 2008, the Council approved migrating the traffic control officers (TCO) program from the DPW to DDOT. TCOs have the authority to ticket vehicles, but the current deployment seems inadequate for the size of the problem. |
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Electronic payment cards for commercial vehicle drivers. A simple method of payment is needed to implement a parking fee program. New York City’s DOT uses a smart (debit) card that companies can purchase for their drivers' use. DC’s multispace meters can accept smart cards. If the program relies on electronic card payment implementation will have to occur in phases as multispace meters are installed on high demand corridors. |
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Parking fines for curbside loading zone management. Private vehicles parked in commercial loading zones can be fined $50. Parking abreast (double parking) also carries a $50 fine. There are no fines for commercial vehicles overstaying in a loading zones. These penalties appear to be insufficient to change drivers' behavior. |
The legislation requires DDOT to submit to the Council regulations for implementing a program with these five components. If DDOT fails to submit regulations within 30 days of the effective date of the act, the Council will establish the regulations.
Implementation Guidelines
The Commercial Curbside Loading Zone Implementation Act of 2009 is an opportunity to replicate the K Street Pilot Program’s success on other streets. The following are four guidelines for DDOT to implement the regulations outlined in the bill.
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Stakeholder Involvement. Stakeholder involvement should be the initial step in developing regulations for commercial loading zones, rather than the last. Stakeholders include the businesses and buildings to and for whom goods and services are delivered, as well as the delivery companies themselves and the general public. Stakeholders' feedback also should be part of debugging the administrative and payment systems to implement the program. |
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Simplicity and Accessibility. The final program must be understood easily and compliance has to be convenient. Regulatory signage at the curb has to be written clearly and installed consistently (alt: uniformly?). If an electronic payment card is part of the program, card sales and distribution points must be available widely. Metro's experience with SmartTrip cards should be considered in developing this part of the program. |
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Public Education. DDOT must be develop a communications platform to create public understanding and awareness about how these changes will affect citizens’ everyday lives. |
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Performance Evaluation. Evaluating travel times should become a regular, ongoing performance measure that guides DDOT's in managing the program. The evaluation results should be included in DDOT's public education efforts. |
Managing goods and services delivery consistently and sustainably is a fundamental concern of DC business interests. Through collaboration, communication and evaluation, business and government can create better operating conditions on our streets and curb spaces to improve transportation circulation materially.
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