D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10-A, § 718

ED-4.3 Getting to Work

Effective Aug 21, 2021Authority: Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)). Source: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996, effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996, effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).District of Columbia, Office of the Secretary

718.1 In 2016, 35 percent of all employed District residents worked in the suburbs. This percentage is fairly typical of large, older central cities. The comparable 2014 figures for Boston, Baltimore, San Francisco, and Philadelphia were 46, 53, 40, and 39 percent, respectively. However, the figure for the District was 22 percent in 1990, indicating fairly rapid growth in the number of reverse commuters in recent years. The District works diligently to connect residents with District jobs, which produces numerous benefits for individuals and the District. Fortunately, Washington, DC is part of a strong regional economy, and its residents are part of a regional labor pool where many find employment opportunities. For some occupations, entry-level and semi-skilled jobs in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs can be difficult to reach.

718.2 The District's location at the center of the regional transportation network and Metrorail system provides good access to rail-served job centers like Bethesda and Rosslyn. However, there is limited transit service to some significant suburban employment centers, which increases financial pressure on lower-income residents who have less affordable and reliable access to employment in those areas. Even within the District, there are challenges to commuting resulting from crowded Metrorail trains and buses, congested roads, and costly parking for those who cannot conveniently use transit.

718.3 The extension of Metrorail to Tysons and Dulles Airport will improve transit access to the region's job centers. Other solutions to improve access to regional employment centers that are not served by Metro include on-demand ride-hailing services, carpooling, and bus routes and shuttles. Such solutions must be forged through regional agreements and partnerships, working through entities such as the Greater Washington Board of Trade, WMATA, the DC Workforce Investment Council, and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

718.4 Transit-accessible housing matching the needs of the workforce is imperative. As Washington, DC continues growing, its housing market is becoming more complex, characterized by increased segmentation of the market rate and affordable housing stock. As a consequence, this increased complexity necessitates closer alignment between economic development planning, housing planning, and transportation planning to ensure that growth is equitable and sustainable.

718.5 Policy ED-4.3.1: Transportation Access to District Jobs Improve access to jobs for residents through sustained investments in the transportation system, particularly transit improvements between neighborhoods with high unemployment rates and the District's major employment centers.

718.6 Policy ED-4.3.2: Links to Regional Job Centers Continue to seek inter-jurisdictional transportation solutions to improve access between the District's neighborhoods and existing and emerging job centers in Maryland and Virginia. These solutions should include a balance between transit improvements and roadway capacity improvements. They should also include transportation demand management initiatives, such as ridesharing and vanpooling.718.7 Policy ED-4.3.3: Regional Job Connections Support regional efforts to reduce unemployment, including partnerships with the region's major employers and programs that link District residents to jobs in fast-growing suburban employment centers.718.8 Policy ED-4.3.4: Regional Access to Central Washington Provide sustained investments to the District's transportation network to ensure that both District and regional workers can access the growing employment areas of Central Washington and the Anacostia Waterfront.718.9 Action ED-4.3.A: Regional Initiatives Actively participate in regional employment initiatives that link suburban employers with District-based providers of job training and placement, transportation, child care, and related support services.See the Transportation Element for additional policies and actions on mobility, access to employment, and commuting to jobs.718.10 Action ED-4.3.B: Increasing Access to Employment Pursue opportunities to develop high-capacity transit corridors that connect low-income communities to major employment areas, both in the District and region.718.11 Action ED-4.3.C: Housing a Thriving Workforce Study how job growth and the District's economic strategy will affect demand for market rate and affordable housing to inform the development of housing strategies that can meet the housing needs of a thriving workforce.718.12 Action ED-4.3.D: Align Housing and Transportation Planning Regionally Explore opportunities to align the District's planning and policies for housing locations and employment access with regional initiatives, such as the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's Visualize 2045 plan.

SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act Comprehensive Plan

of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).