The City of Santa Cruz Considers Vision Zero
On Monday, July 16th, the Santa Cruz Transportation and Public Works Commission considered adopting a Vision Zero policy for the City of Santa Cruz. The Commission formed an Ad-Hoc Subcommittee that will work over the next 6 months to formulate a recommendation to City Council to adopt a Vision Zero Policy with specific outcomes and goals. We expect the Santa Cruz City Council to take action in December 2018 and we need your help! Do you want to contribute to the Vision Zero Santa Cruz campaign fund?
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What is Vision Zero?
Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful across Europe — and now it's gaining momentum in American cities.
Vision Zero is an approach that requires new strategies to create safer streets for all. Adopting a Vision Zero policy helps:
- Build and sustain leadership, collaboration, and accountability – especially among a diverse group of stakeholders to include transportation professionals, policymakers, public health officials, police, and community members;
- Collect, analyze, and use data to understand trends and potential disproportionate impacts of traffic deaths on certain populations;
- Prioritizes equity and community engagement;
- Manages speed to safe levels; and
- Sets a timeline to achieve zero traffic deaths and serious injuries, which brings urgency and accountability, and ensures transparency on progress and challenges.
More than 30 cities across the U.S. have adopted a Vision Zero policy including San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Luis Obispo. For more information visit visionzeronetwork.org.
