Bates Area Civic Association

Government of the District of Columbia
Department of Transportation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Media Contact: John Lisle, 202.671.2004; john.lisle@dc.gov

DDOT Upgrades Transportation Online Permitting System

Upgrades Aimed at Improving and Expediting Process for Obtaining Public Space Permits

New TOPS Feature Allows Public Space Permit Applicants to Request “Development Plan Review” Meetings with DDOT Permit Review Teams

(Washington, D.C.) As part of an effort to improve and expedite the overall process for obtaining a public space permit, the District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) Transportation Online Permitting System (TOPS) now gives contractors, consultants and developers the ability to request “Development Plan Review” meetings with members of the DDOT permit review team.

Development Plan Review meetings assist in ensuring that projects are consistent with, and do not adversely impact, DDOT’s multi-modal strategic objectives. The meetings form part of a structured review process where transportation experts evaluate traffic impacts, provide policy guidance, and oversight to ensure plans adhere to streetscape guidelines.

Meetings are highly recommended at different stages of the project development as it progresses from zoning to public space. Developers should meet with DDOT plan reviewers at the initial project concept and at 30 percent, 60 percent and 90 percent of design completion.

Stakeholders for review meetings generally include the TOPS coordinator and representatives from each of the main administrations such as Policy and Planning, Traffic Operations, Infrastructure Management, Public Space Regulations, and Transit. Other interagency stakeholders may be added at the discretion of the case coordinator.

Permit seeking applicants must be registered as an agent, contractor or business/organization to apply for development plan review meetings. Once permit seeking applicants are registered in TOPS, the system makes it easy for applicants to access their account at any time to apply for a permit, edit an application, upload plans electronically or check the status of an application and meeting request. TOPS will coordinate and facilitate the meeting invites, agenda, discussion topics, recommendations and produce a final report.

All comments and recommendations collected during a Development Plan Review meeting will assist the Public Space Regulation Administration in expediting the permit application process, and ensure that the scope of work applied for was properly vetted by the agency.

For additional details about the Development Plan Review Meeting process please visit Development Review section of the DDOT website or contact Gilberto Solano, Management Transportation Specialist, at (202) 478-5715

For more details about TOPS please visit tops.ddot.dc.gov. To contact DDOT’s Public Space Permits Center please call (202) 442-4670

John Lisle | Director of Communications

District Department of Transportation | Office of Communications
55 M Street, SE, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20003
p (202) 671-2004 | c (202) 486-5838 | f (202) 671-0650 | ddot.dc.gov/social