accessDC Study

Goal

The accessDC Study will identify ways to give people with disabilities and older adults in the District of Columbia better access to multiple transportation services, allowing for greater mobility with dignity and independence, and easier integration in the community.

Background

The District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) has been awarded an inclusive coordinated transportation planning grant to work with older residents and people with disabilities to identify ways in which more users can have access to multiple transportation services. Transportation is essential to access health care, social pursuits, and economic opportunities. The grant is funded by the US Administration for Community Living and managed in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration, and is administered by the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA).

The District provides an extensive local and regional transportation network serving older adults and persons with disabilities. With a budget of $27.2 million in fiscal year 2017 for MetroAccess, DDOT contributes more than a third of the funding for all paratransit or senior transportation services in the District. Services are also available through the DC Office on Aging-funded Seabury Connector, the District Department of Health Care Finance (and federally) funded Medicaid transportation and the Department of For Hire Vehicle’s Transport DC program.

However, there are gaps in extending this service to all who need it, and unmet needs exist in the current system. This grant will be used to support the District’s efforts to identify those gaps and recommend improvements in transportation services for residents who are older or have disabilities.

Final Report

Past Meetings

Project Duration

October 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017

Project Advisory Committee

The Project Advisory Committee (PAC) will meet four to six times in the course of the study period. The role of the PAC will be to help the District interpret public input and help identify and prioritize solutions to improve transportation options. The PAC will comprise members of the community who use these services, as well as agency partners that currently provide transportation services as shown below:

2 members who are older adults: Joyce Forrest; Janet Parker
3 members who are people with disabilities: Dennis Butler; Sandra Faulk; Kamilah Martin-Proctor
1 member from the DC Office on Aging: Brian Footer
1 member from the Department of Healthcare Finance: Antonio Lacey
1 member from the Department of For-Hire Vehicles: Karl Muhammad
1 member from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority: Christian Blake

Responsibilities of PAC Members

PAC members are expected to do the following:

Attend 4 to 6 PAC and public meetings between now and the end of the study period (June 2017)
Advise staff on the public outreach process
Encourage diverse opinions and help increase participation in the process by people with disabilities of all ages, income levels, races or ethnicities, primary languages, gender identities, and sexual orientations
Help interpret public input in identifying issues and developing solutions
Review technical memos and reports and provide feedback to staff in a timely manner

PAC Meetings

The PAC meetings will be held at DDOT headquarters (55 M Street SE, Suite 400, Washington, DC) during business hours. Meetings will be open to the public, and agendas and other materials will be available on the project website.

After receiving all applications, we’ll select members who reflect the diversity of District residents who are eligible for transportation with Seabury, Medicaid Transportation, MetroAccess, and TransportDC.