Seattle is one of the safest cities in the country. We’re also the fastest growing major city in the country. The good news is that crashes are trending downward. But last year, 15 people died in traffic collisions. In 2013, 23 people died. Every year, close to 155 people are seriously injured and more than 10,000 crashes occur. That’s nearly 30 crashes every day. The emotional impact this has on families, friends, and the broader community is unspeakable. And there are significant economic consequences as well.
We can do better. We must do better.
That’s why today, Mayor Murray and other city leaders announced Vision Zero – Seattle’s plan to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. Vision Zero is a worldwide movement that calls into question the inevitability of death and injury on our streets. With today’s announcement, Seattle is making a clear statement that death on our streets is unacceptable and preventable, and we’re going to do something about it.
Seattle’s actions moving forward in 2015 focus on three key pieces:
- Roadway design that takes human error into account and creates a safer, more predictable environment for all travelers.
- Targeted education and public engagement that empowers people to make better decisions
- Data-driven enforcement that targets high crash areas and key behaviors
Specific actions include:
- Lower speed limit to 20 MPH on neighborhood streets (non-arterials)
- Lower arterial speed limits
- Targeted safety improvements on high collision corridors, paired with enforcement to reduce speed, impairment, and distraction
- Re-enforcement patrols to reward good behavior
- Expanded photo enforcement program
- Community partnerships to expand education and enforcement efforts
These are tried and true strategies that work. We see them working here in Seattle, and want to apply them more, so we can improve safety for all travelers, especially as our city continues to grow.
Today, Mayor Murray launched Vision Zero at the Lake City Library where we’re putting these tactics to work. The neighborhood streets surrounding the library will soon become a 20 MPH Zone — a new strategy to bring a higher level of safety near places like schools and parks. We’ll accomplish this by using low cost measures like signs and pavement markings.
20 MPH Zone near Olympic Hills Greenway
This 20 MPH Zone is near the recently completed Olympic Hills Greenway – a new facility where we’ve added speed humps, sharrows, and crossing improvements to improve safety for people walking, biking, and driving. And to the south, we’ve got the recently overhauled NE 125th Street.
Just to the east, on busy Lake City Way, we’ve partnered with residents and the State to bring extra patrols and safety education to the corridor. Data-driven infrastructure investments will significantly enhance the built environment, reduce collisions and improve conditions for everyone.
Lake City Way NE
This is Vision Zero.
Learn more about Vision Zero at www.seattle.gov/visionzero.