For the first time in 70 years, Anita Marsh says she woke up to fresh no-parking signs outside her Anacostia home and suddenly could not legally park near her front door. Marsh, who has mobility challenges, told reporters that losing curb access has made getting in and out of her house difficult and “very emotional.” Neighbors and nearby merchants say the curb rules appeared overnight, that no one gave them a clear heads-up, and that enforcement is already resulting in tickets.
Video Marsh shared shows the newly posted signs, and she told 7News the change effectively blocks direct access to her door and has her worried she could be pushed out of the home she has lived in for decades. Neighbor Aaron Harris said similar no-parking signs went up on Kimi Gray Court, followed quickly by citations. In the same report, merchant Ronald Moton said the city removed 29 curbside spaces and that some businesses have already been hit with $200 tickets.
DDOT says the curb was reconfigured for transit access
The District Department of Transportation describes its work along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue as a bus-priority and safety project that shifts bus lanes and adjusts turn and curb layouts to improve access to the Anacostia Metro Station. In its announcement, the agency notes that temporary “EMERGENCY NO PARKING” signs can be posted ahead of construction and that lane changes are designed to speed up buses. As outlined by DDOT, the MLK Jr. Avenue work is one piece of a wider bus-priority push across the city.
Clear Lanes uses bus cameras to document violations
The city’s Clear Lanes program leans on cameras mounted on buses and automated review to spot vehicles blocking bus lanes and bus zones, an approach DCist has documented elsewhere in the District as the policy rolled out. The idea is to keep transit moving by cracking down on drivers who clog up bus space, but advocates have raised concerns about fairness and confusion when curbside rules shift quickly. That camera-driven enforcement remains a flashpoint in neighborhoods where every legal parking space feels precious.
Neighbors and merchants say they were blindsided
Residents told 7News they received no clear notice before the no-parking signs appeared and that the sudden loss of curb access is especially hard on seniors and people with mobility needs. Merchant Ronald Moton told 7News that removing 29 parking spots along MLK Jr. Avenue has cut into customer access and that businesses are already feeling the sting of steep citations. According to 7News, the outlet contacted DDOT and Councilmember Charles Allen for comment and had not received responses by the time of publication.
How to contest a ticket and short-term options
DDOT’s enforcement FAQ states that alleged violations captured by bus cameras are reviewed by city staff, that notices of infraction can be challenged through the District’s adjudication process, and that supporting evidence will be posted online for drivers to review. The agency’s materials also note that vehicles left long-term in a bus lane may be towed and outline why the city is prioritizing bus corridors for enforcement.
For residents suddenly shut out of their usual parking spots, short-term options include applying for ParkDC visitor permits and related services through the DMV’s ParkDC program or contacting the city’s permit office for assistance via ParkDC.
Neighbors say they are now turning to elected officials and their Advisory Neighborhood Commission for answers and relief as the new curb rules take hold. In the meantime, officials weighing constituent complaints can look to DDOT’s project page and enforcement FAQ for the agency’s stated reasoning and procedures.
