At its best, Vision Zero has the potential to galvanize a thorough and lasting shift in how we design and use our transportation systems to prioritize the preservation and quality of human life. At its worst, Vision Zero runs the risk of becoming a watered-down slogan that provides only a vague attempt toward real, life-saving change.
An Action Plan can lay the foundation necessary to effectively move a community from vision to action by outlining key strategies and actions that will help them achieve the ultimate goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries. These strategies and actions should be informed by data and community input, and the overall plan should include measurable goals, and staff roles and responsibilities to achieve transparency and accountability for the Vision Zero goal.
Los Angeles and Denver Share Their Strategies
In our series to provide guidance to communities to create effective Vision Zero Action Plans, the Network recently hosted a webinar with leaders in Los Angeles and Denver to discuss what it took to create what we think are good models.
Los Angeles and Denver are just two Vision Zero cities of many that have created Action Plans to lay out strategies, actions, roles, and responsibilities to reach the goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries. Los Angeles adopted its Action Plan in January 2017 and is getting ready to release an update; Denver adopted its Plan in October 2017.
The Action Plans in both cities stand out because of a variety of factors:
- Transparent data to communicate with the public and policy makers
- Inclusion of measurable goals with roles and responsibilities assigned to staff
- Focus on outcomes, as well as inputs
- Ongoing community outreach
- Integral role of public health department as part of internal stakeholder team
- Prioritization of equity in funding projects
Leaders in both cities discuss how and why they lifted up these elements in the webinar, and also share lessons learned.
Want to learn more on what strategies and goals should be included in a strong action plan? Check out Guidelines for an Effective Vision Zero Action Plan from the Vision Zero Network, released in November 2017 to guide local efforts in moving from vision to action.