Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetfilms

Streetfilms: D.C. DOT Director Talks ‘Transportation Freedom’

Meet Gabe Klein, who was appointed to direct Washington D.C.'s Department of Transportation (DDOT) in December 2008. With a background that includes four years working for Zipcar, Klein was brought in to look at the city's mobility problems from a fresh perspective. As he says:

Cars are a part of our daily life here in D.C., but what we want to do is try to equalize the playing field. Encourage people to walk, to bike, to bike share; or instead of owning a car -- car share.

D.C. already has one of the lowest household car-ownership rates of any major U.S. city, so actively promoting these modes is essential -- as Klein points out -- to helping people move about with freedom.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Tuesday’s Headlines Are a Little Bit Safer

Traffic deaths are down about 12 percent, which the National Safety Council attributes to new technology and infrastructure investments.

March 3, 2026

Could Refurbished E-Bikes Be the Secret Weapon of the Livable Streets Movement?

A high-quality used market could be the boost America needs to get would-be riders off the sidelines and into the saddle, a new report argues.

March 3, 2026

How the ‘Little Free Pantry’ Can Help Feed the Hungry Without Requiring Them to Drive

Researchers are trying to reduce the mobility barrier to food by bringing it directly to neighborhoods.

March 3, 2026

Monday’s Headlines Took the Keys Away

A demographic disaster is coming as a generation of aging suburbanites become either dangerous drivers or trapped in their homes.

March 2, 2026

Why Anti-Trans Laws Are Terrible For Transportation, Too

A disturbing new Kansas law revokes trans people's driver's licenses. Here's how it will make our communities more dangerous.

March 2, 2026

Sunbelt Cities Rank Last in National Street Safety Index

Cars and drivers continue to dominate the newest and sunniest cities in the United States.

March 2, 2026
See all posts