Background:
The City of Philadelphia has released its 2024 Action Plan Report this December, revealing a sobering reality: while traffic deaths have remained steady since 2021, the three-year average is now over 40% higher than the pre-pandemic average. Philadelphia’s traffic fatality per capita rate is three times higher than New York City and nearly equal to the auto-centric Los Angeles. The good news includes the success of the Roosevelt Boulevard speed cameras, new legislation expanding the program to Broad Street and the implementation of the Penrose Roundabout, which replaced a half-acre-sized five-point intersection. You can find a more detailed summary of the report in the December 2024 Vision Zero Newsletter.
In March 2024, Mayor Parker signed an Executive Order recommitting Philadelphia to eliminating all traffic deaths and mandating the Vision Zero Task to release a new Vision Zero Action Plan by October 31, 2025. This will be the 3rd Action Plan released by the city, starting with the Kenney Administration’s release of the Vision Zero Three-Year Action Plan in 2017. This was followed by the Vision Zero Action Plan 2025 in 2020.
The Philadelphia Vision Zero Five-Year Action Plan Process is a community-driven initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries on Philadelphia streets. It supports DVRPC’s Regional Vision Zero goal of eliminating all traffic deaths by 2050.
Here’s how you can get involved:
- Public Surveys: Share your thoughts through online surveys, in-person paper surveys, or random-sample polling. -> Fill out this Action Plan Interest survey
- Roundtable Focus Groups: Participate in discussions about key traffic safety concerns. Your organization can request a roundtable here.
- Pop-Up Events: Meet with City staff and Vision Zero ambassadors at neighborhood events to provide your input.
- Monthly Newsletter: Stay updated by signing up for the Vision Zero newsletter.
- Become a Vision Zero Ambassador: The Annual program recruits, trains, and supplies ambassadors with materials. Then they attend meetings and events over the summer, answering questions and sharing what they have learned. Apply now!
Your voice matters in making Philadelphia’s streets safer for everyone. Let’s work together to achieve Vision Zero.