Reducing speed to save lives and prevent serious injuries is a cornerstone of Vision Zero. Safe speeds are especially important to help protect the most vulnerable on the road, and the difference of just 5 miles an hour can literally mean life or death in a crash. Cities around the globe are increasingly recognizing both the urgency of managing speeds and the capability of doing so. Strategies that seemed daunting for too long are becoming more commonplace in U.S. cities. Join us to learn what’s happening most recently in two Vision Zero communities — Seattle & Minneapolis — who are centering speed management in their safety work.
Vision Zero
Towards Zero: Unlocking the Bigger Picture Through Data-Driven Safety Analytics Webinar
Transportation safety planning and analysis is evolving from reactive to proactive thanks to the hard work of safety professionals and advocates, the emergence of novel big datasets, and user-friendly software tools that empower engineers and planners to do more. This 1-hour webinar will focus on a case study of one tool, Ford’s Safety Insights, an award-winning traffic safety analytics product that combines crash data, roadway data, and connected vehicle data to generate insight about safety in any community that hasn’t before been possible. For example, Safety Insights provides safety-related vehicle events such as hard braking or traction control alongside crash data so you can get a more comprehensive view of safety trends at a particular location. Learn more about how a data-driven safety application like this can help advance your Vision Zero goals by helping save time, money and, most importantly, lives.
Atlanta City Council adopts Vision Zero, 25 mph default speed limit
On April 20 the Atlanta City Council voted unanimously to adopt the Vision Zero Strategic Transportation Plan proposed by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. The policy is focused on eliminating traffic deaths and reducing crashes and serious injuries in the City of Atlanta.
From an April 21 press release:
"The new Vision Zero legislation also includes a citywide ordinance lowering the default speed limit on local roads in Atlanta to 25 miles per hour for the purpose of improving public health and safety. Vehicular speed plays a critical role in the frequency and severity of crashes. Speed contributed to 52 percent of the 73 traffic fatalities recorded in 2019. Lowering the speed limit on Atlanta’s streets will improve safety of all travelers, including children, the elderly, minorities and low-income persons, pedestrians, cyclists, and those using scooters and other mobility devices."
Congratulations to our friends at the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and PEDS, along with all their partner organizations! Read more about ABC’s Vision Zero Campaign and what they are doing to celebrate this victory.
Webinar: A No-Crash Course in Vision Zero Data
Vision Zero was adopted unanimously by Portland City Council in 2015 with the goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries on Portland streets in a way that is equitable, accountable, and data-driven. But what does it mean to be data-driven? And should we stop there?
In this presentation, learn how Portland’s Vision Zero Action Plan was developed and how the Vision Zero team is using data to move into a future where all Portlanders can travel safely, regardless of the travel mode they use. Explore the datasets used in Vision Zero implementation and the challenges that come with them. Learn about the projects where creativity and innovation play a critical role by stretching beyond what is traditionally thought of as transportation safety, including automated enforcement and citywide crash analysis.