Photo by Aimee Custis on Flickr
DC’s annual PARK(ing) Day is returning Friday, September 18, and this is your chance to be part of the action.
DDOT is accepting permit applications to set up your own PARK(ing) spot. The day is part of the city’s work to promote alternative modes of transportation.
As much as I love my car and the convenience of having it there when I need it, I really love efforts to promote how easily you can get around this city without a car. Sure, Metro has its issues, and many drivers still need to learn how to share the road with bikes (and a lot of bikers need to learn that they are supposed to follow the rules of the road…), but it is all improving and growing. And the more we promote alternate transportation options, the better it will continue to get.
So how can you get involved? This is a great opportunity for businesses, schools and other community groups to set up a “pop up” park. There were 20 around the city last year; let’s get some on Capitol Hill!
Press Release:
The District Department of Transportation is accepting permit applications for the annual PARK(ing) Day activities, which will take place on Friday, September 18, 2015. This event highlights the District’s sustainability efforts and kicks off car-free day activities in the region. Launched in 2005 in San Francisco, Calif., Park(ing) Day has spread to cities around the world as residents and businesses create temporary park spaces from metered parking spaces. More than 20 “pop-up” parks were created in the District as part of the event last year. The deadline to apply for a permit is Friday, September 4, 2015.
“DDOT is proud to support PARK(ing) Day, which gives the District of Columbia another opportunity to implement Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Sustainable DC Plan and further the plan’s goal to making DC the greenest, healthiest and most livable city in the nation,” said DDOT Director Leif Dormsjo.
PARK(ing) Day is open to anyone seeking to sponsor a seven-hour temporary park. The parks will be limited to metered parking locations without time-of-day restrictions, and should be located in the middle of blocks for safety reasons. Participants will be responsible for the cost of any materials or permitting fees associated with the temporary parks, and will be responsible for cleaning up the spaces after the event.
For event guidelines and information on obtaining a permit to participate in the District’s PARK(ing) Day, please visit http://ddot.dc.gov/page/
parking-day. For more information about participating in the District’s PARK(ing) Day, please contact Ted Van Houten at (202) 671-4580.