(Washington, DC) The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced it will continue to roll out the Red Top Meter Program through Monday, April 30, 2012. While the rollout continues, the full parking enforcement efforts planned for the Red Top meters will be delayed until May 1, 2012. In the meantime, motorists with valid disability placards and license plates can park for twice the time at any meter without paying.

DDOT decided to delay its parking enforcement plan to continue the public outreach campaign for persons with disabilities and stakeholder organizations. DDOT will also continue installing meters, ensuring that all 1,500 Red Tops meet ADA requirements and that there are no sign and meter conflicts.

“We want to allow as much lead time as possible to ensure we’re set from an operations standpoint to enforce the program, and most importantly that we have communicated to our stakeholders the various changes that will affect where one can park in the District, ” said DDOT Director Terry Bellamy.

Between now and April 30, DDOT and the Department of Public Works (DPW) will follow the following enforcement protocol:

• Only those vehicles that are parked at a Red Top meter without displaying a valid disability placard or license plate will be subject to being ticketed. The fine is $250.
• Vehicles displaying a valid disability placard or license tags may park at all meters without paying. These motorists may park for up to twice the amount of time allowed by the meter. After that time has expired, they must pay for additional time.

Starting May 1, vehicles displaying a valid disabled placard or license tags will ONLY be allowed to park for twice the time at Red Top meters, provided they pay the established meter rate. Vehicles displaying a valid disabled placard or license tags will no longer be allowed to park for twice the amount of time at a non-Red Top meter.

The Red Top Meter Program is designed to assist persons with disabilities by providing reserved spaces for them, particularly in areas with a high demand for parking. By requiring everyone to pay to park at any District meter, the program will remove the incentive for fraudulent use of disability placards and license plates by persons without disabilities. The program will also enforce longstanding but previously unenforceable time limits.

Additional information about the Red Top Meter Program is available on the DDOT website at: ddot.dc.gov/RedTopMeters.