Award of Safe System Innovation Grant from Road to Zero Coalition Announced

We’re thrilled to announce that the Vision Zero Network will be deepening our efforts to promote effective speed management strategies as part of the growing nationwide movement to achieve Vision Zero: the goal of safe mobility for all.

The Vision Zero Network — in close partnership with the Institute for Transportation Engineers (ITE) — has been awarded a Safe System Innovation Grant by the Road to Zero (RTZ) Coalition, which is administered by the National Safety Council. The Road to Zero Coalition was launched in October 2016 by the National Safety Council, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with the goal of eliminating roadway deaths within 30 years.

The announcement comes on the heels of the Coalition’s release of a significant national report, A Road to Zero: A vision for achieving zero roadway deaths by 2050, which lays out a roadmap for eliminating fatalities and saving lives in the next 30 years.

The grant awarded to the Vision Zero Network and ITE by the Road to Zero Coalition is titled “Moving from Conversation to Action: A Scalable Training Resource on Speed Management for Transportation Professionals and Community Stakeholders.” The yearlong project will focus on developing and sharing trainings, resources, and direct support to manage speed for safety. The efforts are intended to advance the knowledge base and capacity of practitioners, including transportation planners and engineers, as well as other key stakeholders, including policymakers, public health professionals, and community leaders committed to advance Vision Zero in their communities.

“There is no doubt that speed management – including designing roadways, setting speeds, and leveraging technology for safe speeds – is one of the most effective, yet underused, strategies we have in the Vision Zero toolkit”

– Leah Shahum, Founder and Executive Director of the Vision Zero Network

“We are excited to be working with the Institute for Transportation Engineers (ITE) on this important effort to advance effective speed management strategies. Reducing vehicle speeds – with a focus on the important role that system designers and policymakers play – is a foundational element of Vision Zero.”

“ITE is aiming to build greater awareness of the proven effectiveness of speed management measures and identify concerns and misperceptions that are slowing acceptance, and ultimately, to build a stronger constituency to advance these life-saving measures,” said Jeffrey Lindley, ITE Associate Executive Director and Chief Technical Officer. “We have a strong relationship with the Road to Zero Coalition and embrace the tenets of eliminating roadway deaths within 30 years.”

“This project will have direct and lasting value as we seek to achieve the goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries on our nation’s roadways,” said Deborah A. P. Hersman, President and CEO of the National Safety Council. “We are pleased to see ITE and the Vision Zero Network receive this important grant.”