For the Vision Zero Conference we host three afternoon breakout sessions that attendees get to choose from. This year our breakout sessions will focus on the new regional high injury network, analyzing environmentally friendly infrastructure through the lens of “green gentrification”, and the need to design school zones for students.
Breakout #2a: The Regional High Injury Network
This hands-on session will invite the audience to help plan locations identified in the Regional High Injury Network (RHIN). Following a short presentation on Philadelphia High Injury Network/Regional High Injury Network development and the Safe System Approach, audience members will break into groups to investigate high-priority locations on the RHIN and discuss how the Safe System approach can inform traffic safety interventions at those locations. Participants will discuss the potential benefits, tradeoffs and limitations of these interventions, as well as how interventions may complement each other and produce results that are “greater than the sum of the parts.” Finally, participants will reconvene to debrief on the activity and discuss how it can inform future planning efforts to improve safety on the Regional High Injury Network. This session is led by Kevin Murphy and Rebecca Wetzler from DVRPC, Virginia Lynn and Marco Gorini from Philadelphia’s office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, and Cath Spahr from Delaware County Planning.
Breakout #2b: Redefining Neighborhood Safety
This session will consider the costs and benefits of environmentally friendly infrastructure changes to communities through the lens of “green gentrification.” The negative impacts of such improvements—including displacement of long-term residents, businesses and amenities; loss of affordable housing and socioeconomic diversity; and increases in real estate speculation–can be avoided or mitigated if project planning addresses community needs, communities negotiate benefit agreements, or entities within the communities provide resilience in the face of change. Breakout session facilitators and participants will discuss these topics using three projects as examples where the issues might have arisen: the Chinatown Stitch, the Richmond Industrial Trail, and developments in West Philadelphia along the Cobbs Creek Parkway. This session will be led by Regina Austin emeritus professor and founding director of the Documentaries & the Law Program at Penn Carey Law School, Lydia Grose from Michael Baker International, and Toyin Ogunfolaju from Jacobs.
Breakout #2c: Designing School Zones for Children
Five children aged 17 and under are hit by a vehicle while walking every week in Philadelphia. There have been efforts to make school zones around the city safer by adding speed bumps or piloting speed enforcement, while some schools have even taken safety into their own hands and applied for mini grants to add safety measures. Young Philadelphians are at an increased risk of serious or fatal crashes. How can school zones be designed for children? This session will be moderated by Peter DeCarolis and joined by Marisa Jones from Safe Routes Partnership, Elias Corbin, Community School Coordinator, William Cramp Elementary, Eli Prosper, Community School Coordinator, James Logan School, Jason Sandman a George W. Nebinger School parent & bike train coordinator, and Jeannette Brugger from Philadelphia’s office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator and SDP Parent.
Stay tuned for an announcement about more panels and speakers! More information, including sponsorships, a link to purchase sliding-scale tickets, and the schedule for the day, can be found here.
Many thanks to our Vision Zero PHL 2025 sponsors: The Philadelphia Parking Authority, Jacobs Engineering, the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, Jawnt, Curaleaf, HNTB, WSP (Philadelphia Office), Michael Baker International, AECOM, Hayden AI, Urban Engineers, HDR, the Greater Philadelphia Association of REALTORS, Emily Fredricks Foundation, Boles, Smyth Associates Inc., RK&K, STV Incorporated, Kittelson & Associates, Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, NV5, CDM Smith, Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., TYLin International, Bicycle Transit Systems, Econsult Solutions, Pennoni Associates, AARP Pennsylvania, Kimley-Horn, Bowman, Judd P. Greenberg Agency of State Farm Insurance, Traffic Planning & Design, Pexco, Remington & Vernick Engineers, Gannett Fleming TranSystems, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, PA Downtown Center, Piscitello Law, Dawood Engineering, Alfred Benesch & Company, Toole Design Group, McCormick Taylor, and Drive Engineering.