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PUBLIC SAFETY
Phoenix spends millions to stop traffic deaths, injuries
Posted
INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA
The Phoenix City Council will spend $10 million annually in an effort to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries.
The money will pay for the Vision Zero Road Safety Action Plan, “a data-driven, decision-making process to identify and prioritize transportation safety improvements by using 41 actionable strategies,” a city release stated.
The goal is to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Phoenix to zero by 2050.
"My commitment to the people of Phoenix is to make our roadways safer, whether you're on foot, on a bike or in a car," Mayor Kate Gallego said.
"The action plan approved today (Sept. 7) places the city in a much better position to access federal dollars that will amplify our investment, making it possible to bring new safety infrastructure to even more of our neighborhoods."
In addition to its 41 strategies, the plan also identifies a series of 31 performance measures linked to meeting the 2050 goal of zero traffic fatalities, city officials said in the release.
Those benchmarks include a 25 percent reduction in traffic deaths by 2027 and a 65 percent reduction by 2035.
"The Vision Zero Road Safety Action Plan is the outcome of concerted efforts from staff in multiple city departments, experts in traffic design and technology and external partners who listened to and discussed the needs of the community," said Debra Stark, a member of the council and chair of the City Council Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee.
"The plan not only calls for safer and more reliable infrastructure and updated technology; it also incorporates effective enforcement, data analysis and ongoing public education to deliver a well-rounded approach to achieving road safety."
The council’s decision also approved formation of a Vision Zero Community Advisory Committee, 11 members of the public, appointed by the mayor and council, who will receive quarterly updates about the implementation of the plan.
The $10 million in annual funding to implement the plan comes from $3 million allocated from the city's general fund, $2 million from Transportation 2050 and $5 million from the Highway User Revenue Fund.
