Washington, DC, Launches Mobility Innovation District

Over the last decade, technological advancement has fundamentally changed municipal infrastructure, along with the expectations of city residents. Public-private partnerships drive this innovation by harnessing the power of private entrepreneurship to the visionary leadership of public administrators.

Washington, D.C., is the latest city to venture down this path with the creation of its first-ever Mobility Innovation District (The MID). The district aims to "create a global innovation hub to show how mobility innovation can make a city more equitable, sustainable, safe, and prosperous," according to a statement issued by the Mayor's Office, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), the Southwest Business Improvement District (Southwest BID), and community leaders. DMPED provided a $3 million grant to the Southwest BID to help create The MID.

"By creating the Mobility Innovation District, we can reduce congestion, ensure more neighbors are benefiting from new opportunities, and build a greener, more sustainable D.C.," said Mayor Muriel Bowser about the initiative.

Beyond mobility, the initiative is intended to leverage technological advancement by drawing on the southwestern part of the city's "unique assets — established neighborhoods, new large-scale mixed-used developments, regional attractions, and proximity to the National Mall — The MID will attract mobility companies that bring new technology to market and create jobs in D.C.," the statement says.

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And in support of the district, Circuit, a micro-transit company that works in all-electric, on-demand transportation solutions, will create a new mobility service for residents and visitors encircling the Southwest neighborhood. Circuit will help connect some of the city's leading attractions and top dining destinations with fixed transit options and economic opportunities. The on-demand service will be bound roughly by Independence Avenue to the north; 15th Street SW and waterfront to the west; Q Street Southwest to the south; and South Capitol Street to the east— with the extension into Capitol Riverfront/near the southeast service area from M to New Jersey Avenue southeast to I Street Southwest, the statement says.

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