(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser releases the progress report for the Vision Zero initiative in Washington, DC. The wide ranging initiative is designed to reach the goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries to DC residents and visitors of the transportation system by 2024.
“After one year of Vision Zero, my Administration continues to improve safety for pedestrians,” said Mayor Bowser. “ In 2016, DC saw a 40 percent reduction in pedestrian fatalities, however, the city’s total traffic fatalities increased from 26 to 28. This increase is unacceptable, and all the more reason to follow our plan to work toward preventing severe crashes and injuries on our roadways until we reach zero.”
Joined by DC Vision Zero stakeholders, Mayor Bowser released the report at Vision Zero Summit – a call for regional action to end all traffic-related deaths in the metro area. The multidisciplinary event at George Washington University focused on planning, engineering, organizing, law enforcement, equity, legislation, and education to move the region toward the Vision Zero goal. The traffic safety event was designed to bring together local elected officials, policymakers, government agencies and advocates to brief them on traffic issues in the region and a call-to-action to formally commit to Vision Zero initiatives in jurisdictions throughout the region.
Washington, DC plans to continue the momentum toward zero deaths with a holistic focus on engineering advancements, education initiatives, enforcement and data. Under Vision Zero, enhanced efforts have focused on preventing impaired driving, designing safer streets, and expanding installation of pedestrian and bicycle facilities. DC has also improved its safety data and passed new legislation to ensure more transparency to the public. Utilizing the data to better identify areas with potential safety risks and enhance collaboration with stakeholders, DC will advance the partnerships further by convening agency staff and members of advisory committees to review each fatal crash.
The summit was planned by a multijurisdictional group, including the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, George Washington University Hospital, AAA Mid-Atlantic, the City of Alexandria, Montgomery County Government, All-Walks DC, Safe Routes to School National Partnership, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Lyft, Car2Go, Gearin’ Up Bicycles, DC Office of Risk Management, DC Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Police Department, and several DC agencies.
To learn more about Washington, DC’s Vision Zero initiative, visit ddot.dc.gov/page/vision-zero-initiative.