The New Jersey Target Zero Commission was established to aim for zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2040. Thanks to your efforts to make the Commission a reality, Governor Phil Murphy signed the legislation in January 2025, marking a critical step towards achieving safe transportation for all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. The commission comprises members from 13 state agencies and is guided by the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe System Approach, which emphasizes proactive measures to enhance road safety.
Recommendations of the Target Zero Working Group
The Bicycle Coalition, as a member of the Vision Zero New Jersey Alliance participated in the Target Zero Working Group. The Target Zero Working Group is integral to developing practical strategies and policies for the commission. Their recommendations focus on several key areas aligned with the Safe System Approach:
1. Safer Roads
Design Improvements: Recommendations include redesigning high-risk intersections and enhancing road infrastructure to accommodate all users.
Creating a statewide greenway (shared-use path) network
High Injury Network Identification: Establishing a publicly accessible database of high-injury roads for better resource allocation.
2. Safer Speeds
Speed Management Policies: Introduce measures to manage speed limits and implement traffic calming measures in vulnerable areas.
Automated speed enforcement
Context-based speed limit reductions
3. Safer Vehicles
Promoting Advanced Technologies: Encouraging the adoption of emerging technologies in vehicles that enhance safety, such as automatic braking and collision avoidance systems.
Regulating autonomous vehicles
Sideguards on heavy trucks.
4. Safer People
Community Engagement: Increasing public awareness campaigns to educate road users about safety protocols and responsible behavior.
Vulnerable Road User Focus: Targeting safety initiatives specifically for pedestrians and cyclists, who are more susceptible to crashes.
5. Post-Crash Care
Improved Emergency Response: Recommending enhancements to emergency services and post-crash care to reduce the severity of injuries following road incidents.
6. Additional Priorities
Better Data and Evaluation: Developing frameworks to gather, analyze, and publicly share traffic crash data, which is crucial for informed decision-making and safety improvements.
Safer Land Use: Recommendations to make places walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly.
The proposed action plan outlined by the Working Group includes timelines for action and invites public comment to ensure community involvement and transparency in developing the Target Zero Action Plan. The recommendations from the Working Group will undergo public review to refine and finalize the Target Zero Action Plan.
October 22nd Review
The Commission held a second public meeting on October 22nd at New Jersey Transit Headquarters in Newark. The Voorhees Transportation Center Chief, Leigh Ann Von Hagen gave a presentation of the working group process and recommendations of the Target Zero Working Group. Followed by public commentary.
As per usual, Families for Safe Streets members provided the most compelling and moving testimony
Wendy Kukowski shared the story of her life partner Oscar Zanoni, who was killed by a tractor-trailer driver on January 3, 2020 while riding his e-trike on Route 27 in Edison.
Michelle Robinson told the heartbreaking story of the loss of her father, Bruce Morlack, a Burlington City Crossing Guard who was struck and killed in the line of duty by a speeding driver on December 6, 2024. Bruce saved the lives of two children from another speeding driver while crossing Jacksonville Rd (45 mph speed limit) when he was struck by the second driver. Both drivers ignored the stop sign that Bruce was holding. She noted that while both drivers were charged with reckless driving, they served no jail time and were fined $200.
Upcoming Public Engagement
The next meeting will be on December 1st when the Target Zero Commission will review and consider adoption of the Action Plan. Written comments are encouraged and will be accepted by the Commission. The Commission will give equal consideration to written comments as it does to those comments provided at the meeting. Written comments may be submitted to targetzerocommission@dot.nj.gov by or before December 1st, 2025.