Number
211255
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
Sponsor
COMMON COUNCIL
Title
Substitute resolution committing the City to become a Vision Zero community.
Analysis
This resolution commits the City to becoming a Vision Zero community. Vision Zero is a platform that aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries through a multi-disciplinary approach by bringing together local leaders in health, transportation, policy and advocacy, and enforcement.
Body
Whereas, Vision Zero is “a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all”; and
Whereas, Vision Zero was first implemented in Sweden in the 1990s with success across Europe and is now gaining momentum in many American cities; and
Whereas, Vision Zero starts with the ethical belief that everyone has the right to move safely in their communities, and that system designers and policy makers share the responsibility to ensure safe systems for travel; and
Whereas, Vision Zero recognizes that people sometimes make mistakes, so the street system and related policies should be designed to ensure those inevitable mistakes do not result in severe injuries or fatalities; and
Whereas, Vision Zero is built on the premise that traffic deaths are preventable; and
Whereas, Vision Zero is a multi-disciplinary approach, bringing together diverse and necessary stakeholders to address this complex problem; and
Whereas, several City documents, reports, and plans have recommended adoption of Vision Zero, including the City of Milwaukee Pedestrian Plan, The City County Carjacking and Reckless Driving Committee Final Report, and the Millennial Task Force Final Report; and
Whereas, The Vision Zero Network is a collaborative campaign aimed at building momentum and advancing a game-changing shift toward safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all by bringing together local leaders in health, transportation, policy and advocacy to develop and share strategies, policies, and practices that make Vision Zero a reality; and
Whereas, Committing to Vision Zero includes the following strategies:
1. Building and sustaining leadership, collaboration, and accountability - especially among a diverse group of stakeholders to include community members, transportation professionals, policymakers, public health officials, and police.
2. Collecting, analyzing, and using data to understand trends and potential disproportionate impacts on traffic deaths on certain populations.
3. Prioritizing equity and community engagement.
4. Managing speed to safe levels.
5. Setting a timeline to achieve zero traffic deaths and serious injuries, which brings urgency and accountability, and ensuring transparency on progress and challenges.
; and
Whereas, The Vision Zero Network recognizes as Vision Zero Communities those which are taking demonstrable and significant actions to advance the principles of Vision Zero to ensure safe mobility for all people, and, at a minimum, this includes the community establishing a criteria such as the following:
1. Setting a clear goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries among all road users within the next 15 years
2. The Mayor (or top elected official) publicly, officially committing to Vision Zero within the set time frame and directing appropriate city staff to prioritize the work.
3. A Vision Zero Action Plan or Strategy is in place, or the Mayor and key departments have committed to creating one in a specified time frame and which includes a focus on being data-driven, equitable, and including community input.
4. Key city departments, including Transportation, Public Health, Mayor’s Office, and Police are actively engaged as leaders and partners in the process of developing the Vision Zero Action Plan, implementing it, and evaluating and sharing progress.
5. A Vision Zero working group (including the agencies listed above, as well as key community stakeholders, and others) meets regularly to lead and evaluate efforts.
Whereas, The Mayor supports committing the City to becoming a Vision Zero community.
; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City Milwaukee, that the City commits to becoming a Vision Zero community.
Requester
Drafter
LRB177109-2
Tea B. Norfolk/MK
6/2/2022