vision ZeroIf you’ve been following this blog over the last year, you’ve probably heard a lot about Vision Zero. It’s the Sweden-birthed policy that seeks to reduce all traffic deaths in a given are to zero. Last year, not long after the Bicycle Coalition released our Safer Streets report—which puts a large emphasis on bringing Vision Zero to Philly—Councilwoman Cindy Bass actually introduced a resolution that would call for hearings on the issue.

When Council reconvenes in the fall, we look forward to working with its members to create a new policy focused on street safety.

Many of these policies, first outlined in our Safer Streets report in the winter, would have a significant effect on Philadelphia as a whole—and some particularly dangerous neighborhoods.

Citywide, traffic crashes kill about 100 people per year, and cost the city $1 billion in damages and economic activity.

What this report also does is break down traffic crashes and statistics by region, neighborhood and Councilmanic district. As you’ll see from reading the 29-page report, no neighborhood or district is completely safe and this is truly an issue that affects all Philadelphians. We put a particular focus on pedestrians — our most vulnerable road users, and the only group (between drivers, cyclists and pedestrians) that has seen an uptick in crashes and deaths over recent years.

vzmap

In West Philadelphia, our research found that 52nd Street, between Baltimore Ave. and Sansom Street is the fourth-worst corridor for pedestrian-involved crashes in the entire city.

Fortieth and Market Streets saw 15 pedestrian-involved crashes between 2009 and 2013, which is of particular importance for West Philadelphians because so many people are crossing the street there to use the Market-Frankford Line.

Out in the Northeast and Riverwards, Frankford Avenue is the second-worst corridor for pedestrian-involved crashes in the entire city. Between 2009 and 2013, there were 155 crashes on that street involving pedestrians. What’s worse, Roosevelt Boulevard, Torresdale Avenue and Cottman Avenue are all in the top 10.

Intersections like North American and Lehigh Avenue, and D Street and Somerset, are all within the top crash sites in the city. There are more statistics like this for your neighborhood, and all Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, listed and analyzed in the Vision Zero report.

In the North and Northwest, 5th and Olney is the absolute most dangerous intersection in the city for pedestrians. Chelten and Wayne Avenues is among the top 10 worst in the city for crashes involving pedestrians.

We also found that sections of the Fourth Councilmanic District, including Henry Ave. and W School House Lane, and Jefferson Street & North 52nd have seen a particularly high number of pedestrian-involved crashes.

We encourage you to read the report yourself. Click here to download.

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