Easier Parking on U Street?

WASHINGTON -- An easy parking spot in downtown D.C. It sounds like an oxymoron. But the District Department of Transportation is working to make it easier and has zeroed in on the U Street Corridor.

"We would like to bring in our multi-space meters there," says Emeka Moneme, director of DDOT.

Those meters are the ones that let you "pay and display" a ticket on your dashboard. They are already in use in Georgetown.

"You can use your credit card to pay. They are really easy to use," says Moneme.

In fact, DDOT is trying to bring those kinds of meters to almost every business district in the city.

"It makes a lot of sense. It's convenient and it's efficient."

The U Street corridor itself is on the brink of going through a major change. In addition to those multi-space meters, angled parking -- similar to the set-up on 18th Street in Adam's Morgan -- also is being considered.

DDOT plans to improve U Street's sidewalks and lighting, and make the area more inviting overall.

"We are trying to make everything fit better there," says Moneme.

The Circulator Bus also may start riding down U Street, according to Moneme.

"We have a real opportunity to turn U Street into a transportation link."

A public meeting was held last week, gathering input on what the future of U Street should be. It is already an area that has been transformed with plenty of trendy shops, bars, restaurants and condos.

DDOT hopes to break ground with new projects on U Street next year.

(Copyright 2007 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)