If you still haven’t heard of the term “Vision Zero,” that’s OK—you’re busy. But now you’re reading this, and when Philadelphia’s mayoral candidates begin using the aforementioned term this spring, you probably want to know what they’re talking about, right?
Vision Zero is the policy that attempts to bring the loss of life in traffic to zero. Humans make mistakes on the road so much so, we’ve taken to calling them “accidents.” But accident implies crashes and death are inevitable, when they’re not. Governments can take the initiative to create a more effective road system through infrastructure improvements, new technologies and enforcement, thus making roads safer for pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists.
That’s what Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia Deputy Director Sarah Clark Stuart makes the case for in a PlanPhilly op/ed this morning. In it, Stuart argues it’s time for Philly to put more into the Streets Dept. operating budget which pales in comparison when looked at next to the budgets for, say, police and fire (even though there are nearly 100 road deaths in Philly each year.)
“In the Better Mobility 2015 platform, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and numerous other organizations have come together to call for the next Mayor and Council to adopt ten strategies, including a Vision Zero goal and to develop an implementable action plan to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries by 50 percent by 2020,” writes Stuart. “And a Better Mobility mayoral forum in late March is scheduled to give candidates an opportunity to articulate their commitment to Vision Zero and other mobility issues such as protected bike lanes and making sidewalks safer.”
Read the whole thing here—and don’t forget to RSVP to our Better Mobility Mayoral Forum on March 19 in Center City Philadelphia. Hosted by Philadelphia Magazine’s Patrick Kerkstra, this will be the definitive event to figure out where our mayoral candidates stand on street infrastructure. All candidates have been invited and all, except one, have accepted.