County Board Adopts Vision Zero Traffic Safety Strategy

Published on July 16, 2019

• Seeks to eliminate traffic fatalities, severe injuries


• Focus on safety


• County Manager to develop goals, action plan with community input

The Arlington County Board today adopted a Vision Zero traffic safety strategy, approving a resolution directing the County Manager to develop goals and an action plan, based on a comprehensive analysis of traffic collisions in Arlington, for eliminating fatalities and serious injuries caused by collisions.

"Arlington can be proud that even as our population grew between 2013 and 2018 by 5.8 percent, we were able to reduce the number of collisions resulting in death or severe injury by 5.9 percent," Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey said. "But we can, and must, do better. As our population continues to grow, and more cars, buses and bicycles share our streets, it is important that we work with the community toward the goal of completely eliminating deaths and serious injuries from traffic collisions."

The Board voted unanimously to adopt the resolution, which also directs staff to provide an annual report on implementation of the Vision Zero Action Plan and quarterly summaries of traffic fatalities, severe injuries and other collisions to track the County's performance. The Board directed the Manager to ensure that the Action Plan uses engineering, enforcement, education, encouragement and evaluation to ensure safety and equity in implementing the Vision Zero strategy.

The Manager plans to begin public engagement this fall, and to finalize the goals and objectives of the strategy by the end of the year. A draft action plan is due to be completed in fall 2020 and the County plans to begin implementing the plan in 2021.

About Vision Zero

Vision Zero is based on an approach that views traffic deaths as preventable, integrates human failings in the approach to traffic management, seeks to prevent fatal and severe crashes, and views savings lives as not expensive. More than 40 localities across the nation, including Alexandria, the District of Columbia and Montgomery County, have adopted the strategy.

To read the resolution, and the staff presentation on Vision Zero, visit the County website. Scroll to the items under "Manager's Report" on the agenda for the Tuesday, July 16, 209 Recessed County Board Meeting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMRjOV2t9rU