District Department of Transportation is revamping how our Strategic Planning Branch operates to address new challenges and opportunities for transportation planning in the District. Previously aligned with Council boundaries and known as "Ward Planners", the new approach widens the geographic focus of each planner, while ensuring coverage for all areas of the District. We have defined 5 geographic areas based primarily on the transportation network, but also informed by Ward and ANC boundaries wherever possible.

In most ways, the branch continues to function as it always has: our planners remain focused on neighborhood and citywide short- and long-range planning efforts, including corridor studies, neighborhood livability studies, and our citywide plan. The planners also remain engaged in supporting development review activities, transportation service requests, operations issues, and capital improvements in their geographic area, even as these requests may be implemented by other areas of DDOT. At the boundaries of each area we will continue to have close collaboration between planners, as we do today at Ward boundaries.

Each planner will be getting to know the issues and opportunities in their areas over the coming months, and will be working to continue to maintain and develop working relationships with the stakeholders in their area.

We look forward to continuing to serve the residents, businesses, and visitors to the District.

• Colleen Hawkinson, Strategic Planning Branch Manager
• Shannon Hake, Downtown Area Planner
• Gabriela Vega, Northern Area Planner
• Gabe Onyeador, Eastern Area Planner
• Charles Thomas, Southern Area Planner
• Kelly Peterson, Western Area Planner